A police superintendent in Chattogram has been arrested in a sedition case over allegations of maintaining contact with the Awami League and sharing sensitive internal information with the party.
Jahangir Alam, Superintendent of Police (SP) of the Chattogram Range Reserve Force (RRF), was arrested late on Saturday night by members of the Special Response Unit (SRU), the Counter Terrorism Unit and Panchlaish Police Station. The allegations reportedly concern his communications with the Awami League in connection with the expected return of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to Bangladesh in December.
The case was filed by Abu Kashem Chowdhury, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) at the RRF, at Panchlaish Police Station. It was formally recorded at around 10.30pm on Saturday after receiving approval from the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) Commissioner Hasan Mohammad Shawkat Ali confirmed the arrest to The Daily Star. He said the ministry’s approval had been received on Saturday and that a joint team of police and SRU personnel arrested Jahangir Alam from the Officers’ Mess shortly after the case was registered.
The arrest followed an initial investigation into the allegations. On Tuesday, Chattogram Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Md Abdul Kuddus Chowdhury questioned the superintendent after preliminary evidence reportedly emerged against him.
During the inquiry, both Jahangir Alam’s personal and official mobile phones were seized and sent to the Special Branch (SB) of police in Dhaka for forensic examination. The analysis is expected to help investigators establish the nature of his communications and determine whether sensitive official information was shared with individuals linked to the Awami League.
A separate departmental investigation is also under way. Shafizul Islam, Additional DIG (Operations) of the Chattogram Range, has been assigned to examine the incident.
According to sources at the Chattogram Range office, the allegations centre on claims that Jahangir Alam supplied internal and sensitive police information to the Awami League, whose activities are currently prohibited. The issue came to the attention of senior police officials before he was summoned for questioning on Tuesday.
A CMP official, speaking to The Daily Star on condition of anonymity and referring to the case statement, said the complaint included a message allegedly sent from the superintendent’s mobile phone.
The message reportedly contained the following remarks: “In December, people will take to the streets like bees. In 1996, for the caretaker government, my father, inspired by Bangabandhu’s ideals, took to the streets, even when I was a child. We must rescue Bangladesh, sir…”
The official said the complaint also referred to several other exchanges. However, the identity of the intended recipient of the message has not been established publicly. The full details of the allegations and the complete contents of the case statement were also not available.
The investigation will be conducted by the Special Response Unit or the Counter Terrorism Unit. Investigators are expected to examine the seized devices, forensic findings and other relevant evidence to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged communications.
Jahangir Alam is a member of the 28th Bangladesh Civil Service (Police) batch. He joined the police force on 1 December 2010 and subsequently served in various capacities before becoming Superintendent of the Chattogram Range Reserve Force.
The case follows another recent instance involving a police officer accused of sedition. Rakibul Hasan, a former officer-in-charge of Dhaka’s Cantonment Police Station, was also charged with sedition and remains in prison following his arrest.
The arrest of Jahangir Alam has brought renewed attention to concerns surrounding the handling of confidential police information and the responsibilities of senior law enforcement officials. However, the allegations against him remain subject to investigation, and the forensic examination of his mobile phones is expected to form an important part of the case.
