Content creator Tawhid Afridi remanded for five days in murder case

The petition states he received 'special benefits' from the previous government, and opposed protesting students during the July Uprising

A Dhaka court has placed content creator Tawhid Afridi on a five-day remand in connection with a murder case linked to the July Uprising.

Metropolitan Magistrate Sarah Farzana Haque issued the order on Monday after hearing an application from the case's investigation officer.

CID Police Inspector Md Erfan Khan, the investigation officer in the case, presented Afridi before the court and sought a seven-day remand.

After the hearing, the court granted investigators five days to question him in custody, said Public Prosecutor Muhammad Shamsuddoha Sumon.

Afridi was kept in the CMM Court lockup before being produced in court.

A team from the CID arrested Afridi, son of Nasir Uddin, chairman and managing director of private television channel My TV, in Barishal on Sunday night.

Mizanur Rahman, chief of Kotwali Model Police Station in Barishal, said he was detained from a building next to the Popular Diagnostic Lab in the Bangla Bazar area and later brought to Dhaka.

In the remand application, investigators alleged that Afridi, a “content creator” acting on behalf of ousted prime minsiter Sheikh Hasina, persuaded celebrities and fellow content creators to withdraw from the July-August Movement and threatened those who refused.

The petition stated that Afridi, a well-known figure on YouTube and social media, had received “special benefits” from the previous regime, opposed the students and the public during the anti-discrimination protests, and used his influence as director of MyTV to spread propaganda against the movement.

It accused him of broadcasting live sessions containing provocative statements, supporting those opposed to the demonstrations, and engaging in activities investigators described as “media terrorism”.

According to the application, Asadul Haque Babu was killed in indiscriminate firing by Awami League activists, political leaders, and law enforcers, who were “inspired” by Afridi’s activities.

Investigators further alleged that Afridi used his position in journalism and his “immoral influence” to advance personal and political interests through what they called yellow journalism.

They argued that his remand was necessary to identify other suspects, uncover details of the case, and determine responsibility for the violence.

On Aug 17, detectives also arrested Afridi’s father, MyTV boss Nasir Uddin, in Gulshan.

The next day, a court granted a five-day remand for his interrogation.

He was later sent to jail on Saturday.