Former Cantonment Police chief Rakibul to be grilled for 5 days

A Dhaka court has placed former Dhaka Cantonment Police chief Rakibul Hasan on a five-day remand in a sedition case.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Didarul Alam passed the order on Thursday after hearing a petition filed by the investigating officer, said Sub-Inspector (Prosecution) Tarekur Rahman.

Rakibul was formally arrested in the case on Thursday afternoon.

Investigating officer Inspector ABM Abdullah Khaled Sakib of Cantonment Police Station produced Rakibul before the court and sought a seven-day remand.

Defence lawyer Morshed Hossain Shahin sought bail and opposed the remand plea, questioning the circumstances of Rakibul’s detention.

The lawyer also questioned whether Rakibul’s alleged remarks justified a sedition case, describing him as a government employee who had served “with dedication and integrity” and said there had been no complaints against him.

“The remarks for which he was arrested have been exaggerated. There is no evidence or data to justify his arrest or remand,” Shahin said.

“If those who work to maintain law and order are arrested in this manner, who will ensure the public’s safety? He has been arrested through a motivated and conspiratorial move based on false allegations.”

The lawyer said departmental action and subsequent proceedings would have been appropriate if Rakibul had committed any wrongdoing.

The remand petition, however, said preliminary investigations had found evidence linking Rakibul to the incident.

It alleged that Rakibul, in collusion with unidentified accomplices, conspired to undermine state stability and overthrow the government, while harbouring contempt, malice and hatred towards high-ranking authorities, senior government officials and security forces.

The petition also alleged that they conspired to destabilise the country through incitement.