Former Secretary Shahid Khan Sent to Prison in Anti-Terrorism Case

A Dhaka court has ordered the imprisonment of Abu Alam Mohammad Shahid Khan, a former senior secretary, after his arrest in connection with a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act at Shahbagh Police Station.

On Monday, 8 September, Metropolitan Magistrate Md Saifuzzaman issued the order following a hearing.

Court Proceedings

• Time of Appearance: Shahid Khan was produced before the court at 2:20 pm.
• Police Submission: The investigating officer, Sub-Inspector Toufiq Hasan of Shahbagh Police Station, applied for his detention in jail.
• Grounds of Detention:
  • Shahid Khan was allegedly present at the crime scene and involved in the incident.
  • The case remains under investigation.
  • For the sake of a fair and thorough investigation, and as his full identity details are yet to be verified, his detention in jail was deemed necessary.
• Future Measures: Police indicated that a request for remand would be made later for extensive interrogation.
• State Representation: Public prosecutor Md Shamsuddoha Sumon argued for his detention.
• Defence Absence: No lawyer was present on behalf of the accused during the hearing.

The court subsequently ordered Shahid Khan’s transfer to prison under police custody.

Earlier, Shahid Khan had been arrested in Dhaka by the Detective Branch (DB).

The case stems from an incident linked to the activities of “Manch 71”, an organisation formed on 5 August with the stated aim of resisting conspiracies to erase or distort the history of the Liberation War and of encouraging citizens to prepare for sacrifice in defence of the nation’s achievements.

• Event in Question: On 28 August, at 10:00 am, a roundtable discussion organised by “Manch 71” took place at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU), Segunbagicha.
• Disruption:
  • A group of individuals stormed the venue with slogans, created commotion, and shut the doors.
  • Participants were harassed, banners were torn down, and several attendees were held captive.
  • Former minister Abdul Latif Siddique and Professor Sheikh Hafizur Rahman were among those confined by the intruders.
• Police Response: Police intervened and detained 16 individuals from the scene.

Following this, on 29 August, Sub-Inspector Amirul Islam filed a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act with Shahbagh Police Station. Those arrested were subsequently shown as accused in the case and sent to prison.

Key Timeline of Events

This case underscores the sensitivity surrounding Liberation War history in Bangladesh and the government’s recourse to the Anti-Terrorism Act in response to violent disruptions of public events.