A Dhaka court on Tuesday placed lawyer Shafiq Nazrul on a four-day remand in a Cyber Security Act case filed over allegations of fraud involving the use of Zaima Rahman’s photograph in misleading social media advertisements related to the Bar Council examination.
Metropolitan Magistrate Ariful Islam of Dhaka passed the order in the afternoon. The court also approved a separate petition to show him arrested in another fraud case filed by the Bangladesh Bar Council.
State prosecutor Harun Or Rashid confirmed the matter to reporters.
According to the case documents, Shafiq Nazrul operated a Facebook page named “LAW DOCTOR”, where advertisements were circulated using the image of Zaima Rahman. The ads allegedly claimed guaranteed success in the Bar Council examinations, “100 percent common questions,” and promised special coaching facilities.
Investigators said that many examinees contacted him after seeing the advertisements and were subsequently induced into paying money in the name of various coaching services. He is also accused of collecting large sums of money by promising to secure Bar Council certification.
However, after receiving the payments, he reportedly failed to provide the promised services and repeatedly delayed matters with various excuses.
Police further said that multiple victims had filed complaints, following which an investigation revealed preliminary evidence of fraud, leading to his arrest.
Earlier, police produced the accused before the court in a cyber security case filed at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station and sought a seven-day remand. After hearing, the court granted a four-day remand. The court also approved a petition to show him arrested in a separate case filed by the Bangladesh Bar Council at the same police station.
Investigators told the court that custodial interrogation was necessary to uncover details of his alleged involvement in a Facebook-based fraud network, financial transactions, and the total amount of money collected from victims.
State counsel Harun Or Rashid said the accused had used the images of Zaima Rahman and the Attorney General’s daughter in promotional content to deceive Bar Council examinees, collecting money from victims under false pretences.