Touhid Afridi Placed on Five-Day Remand

A Dhaka court has granted police permission to interrogate content creator Touhid Afridi in custody for five days, in connection with the murder case of Asadul Haque Babu, which took place in the capital’s Jatrabari area during the anti-discrimination movement.

The order was passed on Monday (25 August) afternoon by the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court of Dhaka, following a petition by the police.

Earlier the same day, Afridi had been produced before the court, where police sought a seven-day remand for questioning. The defence, however, appealed for the rejection of the remand request. After hearing arguments from both sides, the court approved a five-day custodial interrogation.

Afridi was arrested late on Sunday night (24 August) during a special raid carried out by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) at a residence in the Banglabazar area of Barishal city. He was subsequently transferred to Dhaka the same night.

According to CID Special Superintendent of Police (Media), Jasim Uddin, Touhid Afridi has been listed as the 11th accused in the murder case filed at Jatrabari Police Station.

Touhid Afridi is the son of Nasir Uddin, chairman of the private television channel My TV. Nasir Uddin himself was arrested earlier in connection with the same case on 17 August, by the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), from the Gulshan area. He was placed on remand the following day.

The case stems from events during the anti-discrimination movement on 5 August last year, when protester Md. Asadul Haque Babu joined a demonstration on the paved road under Jatrabari Police Station.

At approximately 2:30 pm, assailants opened fire. Bullets struck Babu in the chest and on the right side of his body. He was rushed to hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

On 30 August last year, the victim’s father, Zainal Abedin, filed a murder case with Jatrabari Police Station.

Case Details