A Dhaka court on Thursday rejected the bail application of Md Rakibul Hasan, former officer-in-charge (OC) of Cantonment Police Station, in a sedition case filed over allegations of spreading anti-state and provocative statements on social media.
Following the rejection of the bail petition, he currently remains in prison.
The court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Monirul Islam passed the order after hearing a bail application submitted by defence lawyer Morshed Hossain Shaheen, who confirmed the development.
Earlier, Rakibul Hasan was sent to prison on Wednesday following a total of seven days of remand in two phases.
The investigating officer of the case, Md Jehad Hossain, Police Inspector of the Gulshan Zonal Team of the Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), applied to send him to prison upon the completion of his remand.
Rakibul Hasan was produced before the court at around 8:45pm on 24 September.
On that day, police sought a seven-day remand, but the court granted a five-day remand following a hearing. The case was subsequently transferred to the DMP Detective Branch (DB).
According to the First Information Report (FIR) of the case, former Cantonment OC Md Rakibul Hasan made malicious and provocative comments against the state and the government in an audio clip of a Facebook conversation with an unidentified individual.
The audio clip triggered widespread discussion and criticism after circulating on social media.
Following the incident, he was relieved of his duties as OC of Cantonment Police Station and attached to the DMP Headquarters.
A sedition case was later filed against him at Cantonment Police Station after obtaining permission from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
