A Dhaka court on Thursday placed Syed Monalisa Islam, wife of former minister for public administration Farhad Hossain, on a three-day remand in a murder case filed over the death of a businessman during the July uprising.
Monalisa, also a central vice-president of the Jubo Mohila League, was shown arrested in the case over the killing of businessman Abdul Wadud in the capital’s New Market area.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Aulad Hossain Mohammad Junaid passed the order on Thursday after hearing a remand petition filed by the investigation officer.
Inspector Amzad Hossain Talukdar of the Detective Branch’s Ramna zonal team, who is also the investigation officer, produced Monalisa before the court and sought seven days’ remand for questioning.
Her lawyer Advocate Tariqul Islam opposed the petition and sought cancellation of the remand along with bail for his client.
The prosecution opposed the defence plea.
After hearing both sides, the court granted police three days to interrogate Monalisa.
Tariqul said his client had secured bail from the High Court in eight cases filed in Meherpur and another case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission in Dhaka.
He said Monalisa was shown arrested in the new murder case when she was about to be released from jail and was subsequently taken on remand.
Calling the move “completely unreasonable and contrary to justice”, the lawyer said the latest case brings the total number of cases against Monalisa to 10.
According to the case documents, Abdul Wadud was shot dead by attackers in front of Gate No. 1 of New Market at around 5pm on 19 July, 2024, during the July uprising.
Abdur Rahman, Wadud’s brother-in-law, filed the murder case accusing 130 people, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader.
Police later showed Monalisa arrested in the case as part of the investigation.
Earlier, police arrested her from a residence on Eskaton Road in Dhaka late on 16 February last year.
