30-day remand sought for Aslam in sedition, 2 other cases

Law enforcers today sought a 30-day remand for interrogating BNP leader Aslam Chowdhury in three separate cases including a sedition one.

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

Police produced Aslam Chowdhury, BNP’s Joint secretary general, before the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Maruf Hossain around 10:30am with the remand prayer, reports our court correspondent.

The court fixed tomorrow to pass an order whether it would grant the 10-day remand prayer sought in the sedition case filed with Gulshan Police Station in Dhaka on May 26.

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Later, Aslam was produced before two other courts in Dhaka seeking a 10-day remand each in two arson cases filed with Motijheel and Lalbagh police stations. He was shown arrested in the cases on May 24.

Both the cases were filed following the arson attacks during the BNP-led anti-government movement in January last year. The courts will hear the remand prayers on June 6.

ALSO READ: Don't take BNP's Aslam on fresh remand until further order, HC says

The courts today did not hear the remand prayers in all the three cases after Aslam’s lawyers -- Sanaullah Mia and Masud Ahmed Talukder -- informed the magistrates about a High Court directive that asked the lower court concerned not to take Aslam on a fresh remand until further order. 

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

Earlier on May 15, He was picked up from the capital's Khilkhet area over the alleged plot with Israel to topple Bangladesh government.

Known to be a trusted lieutenant of BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman, Chittagong-based businessman Aslam came under severe criticism from in and outside the party after several photographs went viral in social media showing him with Safadi, also chief of Safadi Center for International Diplomacy and Public Relations.

Newspapers ran reports that he “conspired” with the Israeli politician to overthrow Awami League government in Bangladesh.