Four individuals have been arrested on charges of blackmail and disseminating false, obscene, and defamatory content on social media regarding the spouse of the prime minister’s Defence Adviser Brig Gen (retd) AKM Shamsul Islam.
With the assistance of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), two were apprehended in Dhaka, one in Chattogram, and one in Cumilla.
Salman Faresi, sub-inspector and investigating officer of Gulshan Police Station, told TIMES of Bangladesh that the accused named in the First Information Report (FIR), Mahmud Omar Faruk Robin Taj and Mamun Laskar Sarker, were arrested in Dhaka and handed over to the police station.
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court in Dhaka on Friday placed the duo on a two-day remand after Gulshan police produced them before the court with a 10-day remand prayer.
An analysis of their Facebook profiles reveals that Mamun Laskar is from Magura. He is affiliated with the Awami League and works as an active member of the party’s “Bot Bahini.” Robin Taj, on the other hand, is pro-July uprising and hails from Brahmanbaria.
His Facebook feed is filled with pictures and posts of Sharif Osman Hadi.
Earlier on Thursday, Noor Mohammad, personal assistant to the prime minister’s defence adviser, filed the case as a plaintiff at Gulshan Police Station. The case names four individuals and includes 10 to 12 unidentified suspects.
The other named accused are Joynal Abedin Manik and Jewel Rana. The case was filed under Sections 25 and 27 of the Cyber Security Act, 2026. Section 25 of the Act addresses offences related to intentional blackmailing, sexual harassment, or the dissemination of personal information and videos in digital media with the intent to defame or demand extortion.
According to FIR, the accused conspired on 1 July at approximately 4pm to spread highly offensive and baseless information about Ishrat Shams Moli, the defence adviser’s spouse, via Facebook and a Telegram channel named “BDBINODON BD.”
The suspects used their personal Facebook accounts (such as Joynal Abedin Manik, Robin Taj, and Mamun Laskar) to share various defamatory posts and links. These posts were also sent to the victim’s family, relatives, friends, and acquaintances.
The acts were carried out in a premeditated attempt to mentally distress and blackmail the victim. The FIR noted a slight delay in filing the case as it required discussions with the victim and her family due to the sensitivity of the matter.
Investigating officers said the accused are being interrogated at Gulshan Police Station, while operations continue to arrest the remaining suspects.
Md Daud Hossain, officer-in-charge (OC) of Gulshan Police Station, told TIMES that efforts are underway to detain the other accused. Investigators suspect deep political rivalry and conspiracy behind the incident.
It was revealed that on 25 December last year, a London-based individual named “Bhutto Rob” first wrote about the defence adviser’s spouse on Facebook. Although his post was deleted following a report, many had already copied and shared it.
Recently, that old content was saved and is being redistributed across various social media platforms. Investigators believe the “Awami Bot Bahini” is involved in this campaign. There is a clear political motive, and investigation-related sources suspect it may have been instigated by the intelligence agency of a neighbouring state.
Investigators have added that Suchona Bahar, the fugitive Awami League mayor of Cumilla, is linked to the panic-mongering and smear campaign. Police have seized mobile phones and various electronic devices from the arrested individuals.
Forensic expert Tanvir Hasan Zoha is conducting forensic examinations of the devices to identify everyone involved in the incident.
Zoha told TIMES that the seized devices are currently being examined to uncover others involved in this network. He noted, “This is no ordinary incident, a large ring is involved. We are trying to expose them.”
