A Dhaka court has sent former secretary Bhuiyan Mohammad Shafiqul Islam in connection with a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ariful Islam issued the order on Tuesday following a hearing involving both prosecution and defence.
Detective Branch (DB) Inspector Md Akhtar Morshed, the investigating officer in the case, requested that the former secretary be kept in jail, citing his alleged involvement in activities deemed threatening to national security.
Defence lawyers, meanwhile, appealed for his bail, which was opposed by Additional Public Prosecutor Mohammad Shamsuddoha Suman.
According to the prosecution, there is reliable evidence linking Shafiqul Islam to the formation and activities of a controversial group named “Manch 71”, which allegedly held secret meetings and conspired against the state. The court was told that Shafiqul Islam had close ties with other accused, including former minister Abdul Latif Siddique, and participated in confidential gatherings aimed at spreading anti-government sentiment.
“The accused’s release at this stage could jeopardise the ongoing investigation and potentially enable him to engage in further conspiracies,” stated the DB in its petition. It also hinted at a possible future request for police remand to facilitate further interrogation.
Earlier in the morning, DB police arrested Shafiqul Islam from the Anandalok Eco Resort in Kalapara, Patuakhali.
The case stems from an incident on August 28, when a group allegedly disrupted an event at the Dhaka Reporters Unity auditorium, chanting slogans and accusing the government of authoritarianism. The complainant observed that the group was rallying around former minister Abdul Latif Siddique, who was delivering a speech at the time.
Investigations revealed that the group “Mancho 71” was launched on August 5, allegedly with the aim of “resisting efforts to erase the true history of the Liberation War.” The August 28 roundtable meeting was reportedly part of that campaign.
Police claim around 70 to 80 individuals attended the meeting. A case was filed the next day, August 29, by Sub-Inspector Md. Amirul Islam of Shahbagh Police Station under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Shafiqul Islam previously served as Secretary of the Planning Division in 2013 and later as Secretary to the Office of the President in 2015.
