A Dhaka court has placed Farhan Shahriar alias Ivan, arrested in a case over the alleged assault, threats and extortion attempt targeting Dhaka Medical College Hospital professor Dr Md Asadur Rahman, on a five-day remand.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Manzurul Islam passed the order after a hearing on Saturday.
Rokonuzzaman, deputy director of the prosecution department, confirmed the matter.
Earlier, police produced Farhan before the court and sought a 10-day remand for questioning. Paltan Model Police Station Sub-Inspector Md Atikuzzaman, the case’s investigating officer, made the plea.
According to the case statement, Dr Asadur Rahman, professor at Dhaka Medical College Hospital and head of the ENT and Head-Neck Surgery Department, had been seeing patients at a chamber of Popular Diagnostic Centre in Shantinagar for the past two months.
On August 17, at around 10:45pm, the doctor was getting into a CNG-run autorickshaw outside the diagnostic centre when Farhan and several unidentified men allegedly blocked the vehicle.
When he asked why they had stopped the CNG, the accused allegedly dragged him out and assaulted him.
One of the accused, Jibon alias Adil, allegedly punched the doctor in his right eye, causing a serious bleeding injury. The attackers allegedly assaulted him repeatedly, leaving injuries and swelling to his head, eyes and other parts of his body, while also issuing threats.
When passers-by intervened, they reportedly detained Jibon, while the other accused fled.
The case statement also alleges that the doctor had earlier received a call from an unknown number demanding $15,000 in extortion.
Based on information linked to the phone number and intelligence from sources, police, with assistance from Ramganj police, arrested Farhan from his home in Lakshmipur on August 21.
Police told the court that Farhan provided information about other suspects during questioning and admitted to being present at the scene and taking part in the attack.
The investigating officer said preliminary investigation had uncovered sufficient evidence of Farhan’s involvement and sought 10 days’ remand to question him about the incident and identify and locate the absconding suspects.
The court granted a five-day remand.