Police in Narayanganj have arrested three people, including a lawyer representing former Narayanganj City Corporation mayor Dr Selina Hayat Ivy, in connection with an old case under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The arrests followed allegations that the slogan ‘Joy Bangla, Joy Bangabandhu’ was chanted on the court premises while Ivy attended a hearing in a separate murder case.
Those arrested are Advocate Ziaul Islam Kajal, former president of the Narayanganj Cultural Alliance and a recitation artist; lawyer Mahbubur Rahman Tushar; and Atikul Islam, Kajal’s brother.
They were detained during separate police operations at their homes on Allama Iqbal Road and Deobhog Pakka Road in Narayanganj early on Wednesday. Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime) Tarek Al Mehedi confirmed the arrests.
According to Al Mehedi, the three were shown as arrested in an old case under the Anti-Terrorism Act. He said the police had taken action after slogans supporting the Awami League were reportedly chanted on the court premises on Tuesday, when Ivy appeared before the Narayanganj District and Sessions Judge’s Court in connection with a murder case stemming from the anti-discrimination student movement.
The police official said the three were not named in the case’s first information report (FIR). However, they had been arrested as suspects in the interests of the investigation and subsequently sent to court, he added.
Mahbubur Rahman Tushar is the son of Mohammad Asaduzzaman, a former public prosecutor at the District and Sessions Judge’s Court.
Ivy granted bail in separate murder case
The arrests came a day after a court granted bail to Ivy, a former mayor of Narayanganj City Corporation and an Awami League politician, in the Tuhin murder case in Siddhirganj. Ivy appeared in person before the court on Tuesday morning. The hearing was conducted by Judge Mohammad Abu Shamim Azad of the Narayanganj District and Sessions Judge’s Court.
After receiving bail, Ivy declined to comment to journalists waiting at the court. However, just before getting into her car, she said, “Joy Bangla cannot be suppressed.”
Her remark and the alleged chanting at the court premises subsequently became central to the controversy surrounding the arrests.
Lawyers and cultural activists dispute the allegations
Colleagues of Kajal and Tushar have disputed the allegations that they took part in chanting slogans. They said both men were among Ivy’s lawyers and had attended court on the previous day as part of their professional duties, carrying documents relating to the case.
According to their colleagues, the two lawyers did not chant any slogans. Their claims contrast with the police account of the incident.
Kajal has long been involved in cultural activities and civic campaigns in Narayanganj. As a former president of the Narayanganj Cultural Alliance, he participated in movements against violence, extortion and the killing of Tanvir Muhammad Taqi, a young student whose death became a prominent issue in the city.
His colleagues also said he had been active during the anti-discrimination student movement of 2024, when the Cultural Alliance organised programmes in support of students and members of the public.
Rafiu Rabby, an adviser to the Narayanganj Cultural Alliance, condemned the arrests and questioned the justification given by the police.
He said Kajal had consistently participated in campaigns against violence and extortion and had worked alongside fellow activists on issues involving killings and public safety. Rabby added that Kajal had been the alliance’s president when it organised programmes supporting students and the public during the 2024 movement.
He rejected the police’s explanation for the arrests and said the alliance was protesting the action.
Police defend the arrests
Responding to the criticism, Additional Superintendent of Police Tarek Al Mehedi said a person’s previous political or social position might differ from their current circumstances. He maintained that the arrests had been made to facilitate the investigation.
The case has raised competing claims over what happened at the court premises. While police say the arrests are connected to an investigation under the Anti-Terrorism Act, the lawyers’ colleagues insist that the two legal professionals were present solely to perform their duties and did not participate in any chanting.
The three men were not named in the original FIR, according to the police. Their alleged involvement, the circumstances surrounding the reported slogans and the legal basis for their detention will therefore be matters for the ongoing investigation and judicial proceedings to address.
