Published : 18 Aug 2026, 07:32 PM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:33 AM
Former army major Md Sadikul Haque has been placed under arrest in connection with another case under the Anti-Terrorism Act, days after a court rejected a police bid to implicate him in a separate car arson case.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Arifur Rahman issued the order on Tuesday following an application by the investigation officer, according to Prosecution Police Sub-Inspector Tarekur Rahman.
Sadikul, who was dismissed from the Bangladesh Army, was sentenced to three months in prison by a military court on Oct 29, 2024, and subsequently sent to jail.
He was later formally arrested in connection with another Anti-Terrorism Act case filed with Vatara Police Station. He secured bail from the High Court in that case on Jun 29.
Before he could be released, Vatara Police Station Sub-Inspector Chand Ali, the investigation officer in a case over the torching of a car in Bashundhara, applied on Aug 7 for Sadikul’s arrest in connection with that case.
The application alleged that the car was set on fire on Nov 11, 2025, as part of a “complete shutdown” programme and with the aim of “destabilising the country”.
Police also said their investigation had found Sadikul’s “direct and indirect involvement” in the incident.
His lawyer, HM Al-Amin, challenged the application in court, pointing out that Sadikul was already behind bars when the car was set on fire.
“The accused was in jail at the time of the incident. How could he burn a car from jail?” he said.
The court then asked the Vatara Police chief and the investigation officer to explain how Sadikul could have been involved in the incident while in jail.
The investigation officer subsequently appeared before the court and submitted a written explanation.
After reviewing the explanation, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Ehsanul Islam rejected the police application to arrest Sadikul in connection with the car arson case.
On Sunday, Al-Amin said there was therefore “no obstacle” to Sadikul’s release as there was no order keeping him in custody in any other case.
But soon afterwards, Khilkhet Police Station Sub-Inspector Md Shahjalal filed another application seeking Sadikul’s arrest in connection with a separate Anti-Terrorism Act case.
The court scheduled a hearing for Tuesday in Sadikul’s presence.
Sadikul was brought before the court for the hearing. Afterwards, the court granted the police application, formally arrested him in connection with the Khilkhet case and ordered that he remain in jail.
According to the case documents, police detained several people who had been dismissed from the Army near Khilkhet Bazar on May 17, 2025, while they were allegedly engaged in “subversive activities”.
The case alleges that after being dismissed from service, they used a social media platform called “Sahajoddha” to make “provocative statements” against the Army with the aim of damaging its image and reputation and disrupting security at Dhaka Cantonment.
Azizul Islam of the Headquarters Logistics Area at Dhaka Cantonment filed the case with Khilkhet Police Station the following day.
