Retired Major Hafiz placed on four-day remand in Pallabi sedition case in Dhaka

A court has placed retired Major Abdul Hafiz on a four-day remand in a case filed with Pallabi Police Station in Dhaka under sedition, anti-terrorism and cyber security laws.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Rakibul Hasan's court passed the order on Sunday (November 1). Sub-Inspector Abu Bakar Siddik of the prosecution division confirmed the remand information.

The case's investigating officer, Inspector Sheikh Bashir Ahmed of the DB police's Cyber and Special Crime (South) division, produced him before the court seeking a seven-day remand. The court granted four days instead.

Earlier, on Saturday night, the Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Police (DB) arrested Abdul Hafiz from the Banani area of the capital.

The remand petition said the accused, with the help of retired Lieutenant Colonel Debashish Kumar Barua and Lieutenant Gulshan Ara and other accused, was linked to anti-government WhatsApp groups, raised funds and created digital content inciting violence and spread it on various social media platforms.

The petition further alleged that through the 'Unity Care Public Parliament' platform, formed by retired army officers, he maintained contact with former army chief General (retd) A. Aziz, the former home minister and fugitive top leadership, and was involved in rehabilitating the Awami League and in organised anti-state criminal conspiracy.

The petition also mentioned that the accused was linked to the Facebook ID 'Khondokar A Hafiz' and various pages, creating and spreading content inciting violence and instability. It was also alleged they were involved in anti-terrorism offences through illegal financing to run the activities of a banned organisation.

The investigating officer's petition said the organisation's work was to spread hatred among different groups in the country to create riots, create disorder in the country, and spread hatred and contempt on social media towards the government established by law. As the investigation into these allegations continued, a seven-day remand was sought on six grounds.

Harun-or-Rashid argued for the remand on behalf of the state. Jamal Uddin Bhuiyan, for the accused, sought cancellation of the remand and bail. After hearing both sides, the court granted a four-day remand.

Retired Lieutenant Colonel Debashish Kumar Barua and Lieutenant Gulshan Ara were arrested earlier in this case. They are in jail.

The case statement said the accused, staying at their respective homes, were linked to anti-government WhatsApp groups named 'Bangladesh Awami League Supporters Alpha' and 'BBM Transparency'.

The case statement further said Kazi Gulshan Ara, before the election on November 27, 2018, went to Ganabhaban with more than 150 retired army officers and publicly expressed solidarity and loyalty to then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. A committee named 'Sena Parishad' was also established with 101 associates of the accused, according to the case.