The father of a man detained over a Facebook comment saying "only a sniper was missing" in reference to a bus used to transport Prime Minister Tarique Rahman during his visit to Rajshahi has also been detained and handed over to the Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Detective Branch (DB).
Lt Col Faisal Ishtiaq, commander of SRB-5, confirmed today (22 October) that Abu Bokor Siddique, who was detained over the Facebook comment, and his father, Ainal Haque, had both been handed over to the DB.
"We have handed both of them over to the DB. They will provide further details later," he said.
Siddique drew attention after commenting on a photograph of the bus used by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman during his visit to Rajshahi yesterday.
The photo, posted on the Facebook page "The Beauty of Rajshahi", showed the bus belonging to Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET). Its caption questioned why the prime minister had used the university's bus instead of his usual red-and-green bulletproof bus.
In the comments section, a Facebook account holder wrote, "What a missed opportunity! Only a sniper was missing."
Screenshots of the comment spread widely on social media, drawing the attention of law enforcement agencies. Several BNP leaders also raised concerns about the prime minister's security following the comment.
According to locals, a team from the Rajshahi Metropolitan Police's Cyber Crime Unit and Chandrima Police Station went to Siddique's home around 2pm today but did not find him there. Family members did not disclose his whereabouts.
Around 4pm, a plainclothes team from SRB-5 went to the house. Unable to find Siddique, the team detained his father for questioning.
Siddique's father, Ainal, later told the team that his son was staying at his maternal uncle's house in Gholharia village of Hatramchandrapur, Paba upazila, Rajshahi. SRB members then took Ainal with them to the house, where they detained Siddique.
The team also seized a mobile phone used by the family. Both men were subsequently handed over to the DB and taken to Dhaka.
Meanwhile, Chandrima Police Station Officer-in-Charge Monirul Islam searched Siddique's home for nearly an hour yesterday morning but found no items that could be seized as evidence, according to the report.
Police seized only a pen drive cover and also tried to recover a laptop believed to belong to Siddique.
Family members said Siddique did not use a laptop and did not own one.
Siddique's mother, Asmaul Husna, claimed her son was innocent and was being framed in the incident. She described him as hardworking and academically talented.
Siddique lives in the Kechuatol area under Chandrima Police Station in Rajshahi. His father, Ainal Haque, is a farmer. Siddique is the eldest of four siblings and a first-year student in the history department of Rajshahi New Government Degree College.
Locals said Siddique works transporting vegetables by van alongside his studies and is known in the neighbourhood as a good person. They also said he belongs to a motorcycle riders' group that goes on trips together.