Shaukat Mahmud Faces New Charge

Imprisoned journalist Shaukat Mahmud has been formally shown arrested in another case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act in connection with a controversial roundtable discussion organised by a platform named ‘Mongol 71’. The development adds a further legal dimension to an already complex set of proceedings involving multiple individuals accused of undermining state security and political stability.

The case, lodged at Shahbagh Police Station, initially named 16 individuals, including former minister and expelled Awami League member Abdul Latif Siddique, Dhaka University law professor Sheikh Hafizur Rahman (Karon), and journalist Manjurul Alam, among others. Investigators have since listed Shaukat Mahmud as an “investigation-revealed” accused, thereby formally bringing him under the scope of this particular case.

On Monday, Metropolitan Magistrate Jewel Rana of Dhaka granted the application to show Shaukat Mahmud as arrested in the case. The order came after the investigating officer, Inspector Md Akhtar Morshed of the police, submitted a petition seeking his inclusion in the Shahbagh case during his production before the court. The prosecution confirmed the development, noting that the court had accepted the submission following procedural review.

According to the case dossier, the organisation ‘Mongol 71’ was formed on 5 August last year, allegedly with the stated objective of resisting distortion of the history of the Liberation War. However, investigators allege that the platform was later used for activities aimed at destabilising the state. A roundtable discussion held on 28 August at the Dhaka Reporters Unity has become the focal point of the investigation. Authorities claim that speeches delivered at the event were provocative in nature and intended to incite unrest and undermine the interim administration.

The prosecution further alleges that between 70 and 80 unidentified individuals participated alongside the named accused in the programme. Intelligence gathered during interrogation by the Detective Branch’s Ramna Division is said to have indicated coordinated activities under the banner of the organisation, allegedly aimed at anti-state mobilisation.

Investigators have also claimed that preliminary evidence links Shaukat Mahmud to the gathering, suggesting his involvement in organising or participating in discussions deemed politically provocative. It is further alleged that he and his associates engaged in campaigns and meetings critical of the interim government, which authorities interpret as part of a broader pattern of destabilising activity.

Shaukat Mahmud had previously been arrested on 7 December from the Malibagh area of the capital in a separate case under the same legislation. Earlier, on 20 September, Bangladeshi-American citizen Enayet Karim Chowdhury was also detained under the Anti-Terrorism Act in a related investigation, highlighting the widening scope of cases linked to the same legal framework.

Key individuals named in the case

The court’s order effectively integrates Shaukat Mahmud into the ongoing investigation of the Shahbagh case, enabling authorities to proceed with formal interrogation and custodial procedures under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The case remains under active investigation, with further developments expected as inquiries continue.