Shafik Rehman was arrested on specific charges and not for his work as a journalist, Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu told reporters on Sunday.
Published : 17 Apr 2016, 04:27 PM
This comes a day after Rehman was arrested from his home in Dhaka’s Eskaton for alleged involvement in a conspiracy to harm Sajeeb Wazed Joy, the prime minister’s son and advisor, in the US.
“No one is above the law, we will see that in effect… Mahmudur Rahman, Shawkat Mahmud or Shafik Rehman were not arrested for their journalism.” said the minister while mentioning the two other journalists behind bars on various charges.
“Police produced him in court because they were satisfied with findings from primary investigation which links him to specific crimes.
“He has the right to self-defence. He will walk free if he is innocent. This has nothing to do with newspapers, media or the rule of law.”
A Dhaka court sent Rehman on a five-day remand after he was produced there by Detective Branch officials on Saturday afternoon.
Ganajagaran Mancha spokesperson Imran H Sarkar also came out in protest saying his arrest meant to stifle opposition voices.
But Sajeeb Wazed Joy, in a Facebook post, said there was evidence against the BNP-leaning journalist which links him to a plot to abduct and kill him in the US.
“A US BNP leader's son, a former FBI agent and another American friend of both are already serving time in US prison for involvement in this plot,” said his post from Saturday night.