A Jagannath University (JnU) student has been placed on a three-day remand in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act, accusing him of involvement in anti-state activities and affiliation with the banned extremist group Hizb ut-Tahrir.
The Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court granted the remand on Thursday, following a ten-day remand plea submitted by Md Shahinur Rahman, a sub-inspector of the Counter Terrorism Investigation Division and the case's investigation officer.
The student, identified as Mizanur Rahman, is enrolled in the 2021–22 session of the university’s Statistics Department.
According to police sources, he was detained late on Wednesday from a mess in the Narinda area under Gandaria police station by personnel.
His family and the university administration reportedly failed to locate him despite checking with nearby police stations. His whereabouts became known only later through multiple sources.
The case statement reveals that Mizanur Rahman was shown arrested in connection with a case filed on March 21 this year at Dhanmondi police station under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
The case accuses him of long-standing involvement with the banned extremist group Hizb ut-Tahrir, as well as engaging in propaganda, recruitment, and activities against the state on behalf of the organization.
According to the remand petition, he had promoted events titled "Come out for save Gaza" and "Protest rally," which law enforcers claim were intended to incite violence.
Police have seized his mobile phone (Techno) and laptop (Lenovo), which reportedly contained extremist and anti-state materials.
The petition further stated that during preliminary questioning, Mizanur admitted to being affiliated with Hizb ut-Tahrir.
It also claimed that there is a risk of him fleeing if released, and that he needs to be kept in custody for the sake of the investigation.
Speaking to the press, the accused’s elder brother Saju Rahman said: “He was picked up from the Narinda mess around 11pm that night. We had no information about his whereabouts for three days.”
He added: “Later we found out about the Anti-Terrorism case. We seek justice for him.”
University Proctor Professor Dr Tazammol Hoque said: “We were initially concerned as we could not confirm his whereabouts. Later we came to know that he was arrested in connection with an anti-state case. We are taking the matter seriously.”
When asked about the case, Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Dhanmondi police station Kashainu said: “The case was filed before I took charge.”
He added: “Although it is recorded with Dhanmondi police station, the Counter Terrorism Investigation Division is handling the investigation. They are better positioned to provide details.”