A Dhaka court yesterday granted a seven-day remand for Jasimuddin Rahmani, the chief of alleged Islamist militant outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team, in connection with the murder case of blogger Rajib Haider.
Dhaka Metropolitan magistrate Harun-ur-Rashid granted the remand after Mainul Islam, a Detective Branch inspector and the investigation officer of the Rajib murder case, sought a 10-day remand.
The magistrate also rejected a bail prayer placed by defense lawyer Advocate Sohrab Hossain Molla, and granted the remand – as five students of North South University, accused of killing blogger Rajib Haider, had earlier confessed about visiting Jasim, court sources said.
On Sunday, Ansarullah chief Jasim was returned to Barguna jail, after being interrogated in joint interrogation cell (JIC) at Dhaka, under a 4-day remand.
On the other hand, nine Ansarullah activists have been taken in remand so far at Barguna, with remand prayers against 20 others still pending.
Barguna district police superintendent (SP) Shaymol Kumar Nath informed that on August 21, Mobashwer Ali, an inspector of detective branch, sought 10-day remands against 30 activists who were arrested with the Ansarullah chief.
On Sunday, the chief judicial magistrate of Barguna, Noman Mainuddin began hearing the remand petitions and granted a three-day remand against Yusuf Ali Mridha, a two-day remand against Abdur Rahman Matubbar and Ashraf Ali, and a one-day remand against Awal Siraj and Alamgir Hossain, informed public prosecutor Advocate Bhuvan Chandra Haoladar and defense lawyers Advocates Abdul Aziz, Sekandar Ali and Siddikur Rahman.
The same court, on Monday, also granted a three-day remand against Md Badal and Qari Abdus Salam, a one-day remand against Jamal Hossain and Abu Saleh, but rejected a remand prayer against Abdul Jabbar due to his old age, the lawyers added.
The hearing on remand appeals against the remaining 20 Ansarullah activists will continue by rotation, with the next hearing date set on September 1, the Barguna SP said.
Earlier on August 12, Sub Inspector Zafar Hossain lodged a case with the Barguna Sadar police station against the 31 arrestees, under section 57 of the IT act, for propagating militancy and communalism.