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Published : 29 Jun 2026, 02:40 PM
Journalist Azhar Ali, who recently secured bail from the High Court in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act at Ramna Police Station, has been shown arrested in another case, preventing his immediate release from prison.
On Monday, a Dhaka court ordered that he be shown arrested in an Anti-Terrorism Act case filed with Shahbagh Police Station following an application by the investigating officer.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Jewel Rana passed the order, according to Sub-Inspector Shah Alam of the prosecution division.
Azhar Ali was arrested by the police’s Detective Branch (DB) on Oct 10 last year as an alleged associate of Enayet Karim Chowdhury, a US citizen who was arrested for “suspicious movement” in Dhaka.
At that time, his family alleged that a DB team picked him up from his residence in Banasree in the evening.
The following day, he was shown arrested in an Anti-Terrorism Act case filed with Ramna Model Police Station after Enayet’s arrest.
According to the case documents, police intercepted a Prado SUV carrying Bangladesh-born US citizen Enayet on Minto Road around 10:30am on Sept 13 after finding his movements to be suspicious.
Police said Enayet failed to explain why he was roaming the area, prompting them to file the case under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Two other accused were later arrested in connection with the case - SM Golam Mostafa Azad, described as Enayet's associate, and Kazi Md Mamunur Rashid, secretary general of the Rowshan faction of the Jatiya Party.
Azhar Ali recently obtained bail from the High Court in the Ramna case.
On Jun 18, DB Inspector Akhtar Morshed of the Ramna Division applied to have him shown arrested in a separate Anti-Terrorism Act case filed with Shahbagh Police Station.
The Shahbagh case stems from the detention of 16 people, including Awami League leader Latif Siddiqui, journalist Panna, Prof Karzon, and Abdullahil Kaiyum, after they attended a discussion on the Liberation War and the Constitution.
The programme, organised by a group called "Moncho 71" at the Dhaka Reporters Unity on Aug 28, allegedly came under mob attack, after which a case was filed against those who had been targeted.
Monday had been set for the hearing on the application to show Azhar Ali arrested in that case.
He was produced before the court in a wheelchair and placed before the judge ahead of the hearing.
Seeing him, the judge remarked, "You looked healthy before. Have you become ill?"
Inspector Akhtar Morshed argued in favour of the application to show him arrested.
Defence lawyer Mansur Ripon opposed the plea, while public prosecutor Muhammad Shamsuddoha Sumon supported it.
After hearing both sides, the court granted the application and ordered that Azhar Ali be sent back to jail.
Another defence lawyer, Sheikh Oliuzzaman Ujjal, said Azhar had remained in custody for a long period after being arrested in the Ramna case and had recently secured bail in the High Court.
"As soon as the bail order reached the prison authorities, he has been shown arrested in the Shahbagh case. To secure his release from jail, he now has to secure bail in this case as well," he said.
