The Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police has arrested two retired army officers in a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Cyber Security Act, acting on intelligence information.
They were arrested in raids at two separate locations in the capital on Sunday night. The two former army officers are retired Lieutenant Colonel Debashish Kumar Barua and retired Lieutenant Kazi Gulshan Ara.
According to DB sources, they were arrested on specific information that they were involved with the Awami League, whose activities have been banned, in a conspiracy to create instability in the country; that they spread anti-state propaganda on social media; and that they disrupted public security through cyber crimes.
Meanwhile, on Monday, the case’s investigating officer, Inspector (Unarmed) Sheikh Bashir Ahmed of the Detective Branch’s (DB) Cyber and Special Crime Division, produced them before the court. He applied for seven days’ remand. After the hearing, the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Didarul Alam granted four days’ remand.
Advocate Abdullah Al Mansur Ripon appeared for the accused, urging the court to reject the remand application and grant bail. Advocate Harun or Rashid, for the state, argued the case for remand.
After hearing both sides, the court rejected each of the accused’s bail applications and ordered remand.
Meanwhile, BNP Acting Secretary General and the Prime Minister’s political adviser Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said the two retired military officers were arrested on charges of planning sabotage.
He made the remarks on Monday at the National Press Club, speaking as chief guest at a memorial meeting organised by Hannan Shah Smriti Sangsad to mark the 10th death anniversary of Brigadier General (retd) A S M Hannan Shah, a member of the BNP’s national standing committee.
Deputy Commissioner Md Akhtar Hossain of the DMP’s Media and Public Relations Division confirmed the matter. He gave the details to journalists at the DMP Media Centre on Monday afternoon.
Deputy Commissioner Md Akhtar said the process of filing a case against those arrested under the Anti-Terrorism Act is under way, and the DB is working on the matter.
Asked by journalists under which sections of the law they were being charged, Md Akhtar Hossain said the details would be known once the process of filing the case was complete.
The DMP official added that work on the matter is continuing, and that progress is expected to be known shortly.
Earlier, on Sunday night, the DB arrested retired army officer Debashish Kumar Barua and retired Lieutenant Kazi Gulshan Ara from the DOHS area of Pallabi in the capital.