Dhaka court rejects journalist Anis Alamgir’s bail in anti-terror case

He was quizzed for five days on Dec 15 and sent to prison on Dec 20, where he remains

A Dhaka court has rejected journalist Anis Alamgir’s bail petition in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Judge Md Alamgir of the Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court-1 passed the order on Thursday, lawyer Taslima Jahan Popy confirmed.

The CMM court had earlier also denied bail.

A team of police took him to the Detective Branch (DB) office on Dec 14, for “questioning”.

The same day at midnight, a man named Ariyan Ahmed, identified as a member of an organisation called the “July Revolutionary Alliance”, filed a case against Alamgir and three others, accusing them of “conspiring to destabilise the state and inciting a banned organisation”.

Alamgir was remanded for five days on Dec 15 and sent to prison on Dec 20, where he remains.

The three others accused in the case are actress Meher Afroz Shaon, fashion model Maria Kispotta, and television host Imtu Ratish.

The complaint claims the accused have been directly and indirectly involved in conspiracies aimed at destabilising the state.

The complainant also alleged that since Aug 5 last year, the suspects have campaigned on social media and appeared on television talk shows to revive a banned organisation and rehabilitate the Awami League.

“These statements and online activities are inciting activists of banned organisations, including the Chhatra League and Jubo League, leading to anti-state conspiracies, violence and destruction of infrastructure,” the complaint said.