Former DGFI Director Afzal Naser faces further questioning in July Uprising murder case

The former army officer has been quizzed in two murder cases for a total 17 days in five phases

A Dhaka court has granted a fresh three-day remand for Afzal Naser, a former director of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), in connection with the killing of Delwar Hossain during the July Uprising.

Metropolitan Magistrate Ariful Islam passed the order after the investigating officer, Detective Branch (DB) Sub-Inspector Kafil Uddin, produced the suspect in court and sought a five-day extension to interrogate him.

Afzal, a retired lieutenant colonel who served as DGFI director between March 2006 and March 2008, was apprehended by police detectives at his Mirpur DOHS residence in the early hours of Mar 30.

Since his arrest, the former military officer has faced multiple rounds of questioning. He was initially placed on a six-day remand following his arrest in the Delwar murder case.

Subsequently, he was remanded for 11 days across four separate phases in connection with the murder of BNP activist Makbul Hossain.

On Friday, the defence filed a petition seeking bail and the cancellation of the remand plea, but the court upheld the necessity of further interrogation.

The case details state that on the afternoon of Jul 19, 2024, a peaceful student-led demonstration in Mirpur-10 Falpatti came under attack by Awami League activists.

It is alleged that the protesters were fired upon “indiscriminately” following "instructions" from former DGFI director general Sheikh Mamun Khaled.

Delwar sustained critical bullet wounds during the shooting and succumbed to his injuries on Jul 21 while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Shyamoli.