Police want Aslam on 30 days' remand

The hearings on 30 days remand prayers in three cases against BNP leader Aslam Chowdhury will be held today and on June 6.

The court of Metropolitan Magistrate Maruf Hossain decided to hear arguments today on a 10-day remand prayer in the sedition case against Aslam after his lawyers sought adjournment of yesterday's court proceedings, saying that the High Court earlier asked the lower court concerned not to put their client on fresh remand until a further order.

The HC passed the order two days after Aslam filed a petition with the court on May 22, seeking a directive on the government to cancel his seven-day remand. Police took him on remand for seven days on May 16 after he was shown arrested under section-54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. 

The sedition case had been filed against Aslam allegedly for hatching a conspiracy with Israel's Likud Party and its intelligence agency Mossad to oust the government.

Aslam's lawyers -- Sanaullah Mia and Masud Ahmed Talukder -- yesterday appealed to the court to not hear the remand prayer until the writ petition filed with the HC is disposed of.

The court then fixed today to pass an order on the remand prayer in the sedition case filed with Gulshan Police Station in Dhaka on May 26.

Later in the day, Aslam was produced before two other courts in Dhaka with a 10-day remand prayer in each of the two arson cases he was shown arrested on May 24. 

The cases were filed with Motijheel and Lalbagh police stations last year in connection with arson attacks during the BNP-led anti-government movement.

The courts set June 6 to hear the remand prayers.

The BNP leader was picked up from the capital's Khilkhet area on May 15 over the alleged plot to topple the government.