Police move court to further question BNP’s Aslam over sedition charges, hearing Monday

Police have sought 10 more days from a Dhaka court to interrogate BNP leader Aslam Chowdhury in a sedition case for allegedly conspiring to overthrow Sheikh Hasina in collusion with a leader of Israel’s ruling party.

He was shown arrested in the case, started with Gulshan police on Thursday, and presented before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court on Friday.

Judge Jakir Hossain Tipu fixed May 30 (Monday) for the hearing on the remand plea by Detective Branch (DB) Inspector Fazlul Haque, said court police’s General Recording Officer Sub-Inspector Farid Mia.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Deputy Commissioner Masudur Rahman told bdnews24.com they needed to question Aslam more.

The remand plea said the recently appointed BNP joint secretary general had links to plans of murders and bombings to turn Bangladesh a militant state.

After arresting him in Dhaka on May 15 and questioning in custody for seven days, police on Tuesday shown him arrested in two other cases of violence and sought 10 more days’ remand.

A court is also scheduled to hear that remand appeal on May 30.

Aslam came into the limelight recently because of his meeting with Israel’s Likud Party leader Mendi N Safadi during an event in New Delhi this year.

Safadi was a former advisor to Israeli deputy minister MK Ayoub Karar. He also runs the Mendi N Safadi Center - for International Diplomacy and Public Relations.

Leaders of the ruling Awami League have since claimed that the meeting between the two was part of a conspiracy to overthrow Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with help of Israeli spy agency Mossad.

But the BNP has refuted the allegation, saying Aslam’s India trip was ‘personal’.

Aslam and Safadi both have admitted to meeting each other in Delhi but claimed nothing covert was discussed.