A Dhaka court on Thursday placed Md Rakibul Hasan, former Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Cantonment Police Station, on a five-day remand in a sedition case.
He was produced before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court in Dhaka on Thursday night with a prayer for a seven-day remand. Following the hearing, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Didarul Alam granted a five-day remand, said state prosecutor Samsuddoha Suman.
Earlier on Thursday, Rakibul was arrested from the Rajarbagh area and shown arrested in the sedition case filed with Cantonment Police Station. Assistant Commissioner (AC) of Police of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Cantonment Zone, Md Nazmul Huq, confirmed his arrest.
Additional Commissioner of Detective Branch (DB) Shafiqul Islam said the sedition case was filed at Cantonment Police Station after receiving report of an investigation committee formed against Rakibul.
However, he clarified that the DB did not arrest him, nor is the DB currently investigating the case.
The case follows an audio recording of a conversation involving Rakibul that went viral on social media on the night of 16 September, whilst he was serving as the OC of Cantonment Police Station.
In the audio, Rakibul was heard making comments regarding Sheikh Hasina’s return to the country and the operational capability of the police force. He was also heard discussing the political stances of senior police officials and alleging various irregularities, including monetary transactions for police postings.
The day after the audio leaked, Rakibul was withdrawn from Cantonment Police Station and attached to the Central Reserve Office of the DMP Headquarters and Administration Division at Rajarbagh, citing “administrative reasons.”
Simultaneously, the DMP formed a three-member committee to investigate him.
Relevant police officials had initially reported that Rakibul was taken to the DB office on Minto Road that night. However, on 18 September, DB Chief Shafiqul Islam denied that he had been brought to the DB office.
No clear information regarding his whereabouts was available for the following week, until Additional Commissioner Shafiqul Islam disclosed information regarding his arrest and the sedition case on Thursday.
