Remand petition filed against writer Mushtaq 2 days before death

The Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) unit of Dhaka Metropolitan Police filed a petition seeking three days' remand for writer Mushtaq Ahmed in a case filed under the Digital Security Act, just two days before his death in jail.

Investigating Officer Afsor Ahmed of the internet referral team of CTTC filed the petition also against cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore, another accused in the case, before the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court on February 23.

Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Abu Bakar Siddique set February 28 for the hearing of the petition and asked the authorities concerned to produce the duo before the court from prison, General Recording Officer Nizam Uddin told Dhaka Tribune on Friday.

Earlier on Thursday, Mushtaq died at the Kashimpur High Security Prison in Gazipur.

Also Read - Arrested in Digital Security case, writer Mushtaq Ahmed dies in jail

Senior Jail Superintendent Md Gias Uddin told Dhaka Tribune that Mushtaq suddenly fell ill inside his cell and was taken to the prison hospital.

He was then transported to the Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmad Medical College and Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, said the prison official.

Fifty-three-year-old Mushtaq was behind the bars since May last year following his arrest along with Kishore in the capital in the case lodged by the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) with Ramna police station.

They along with nine others were charged with propagating disinformation against the government on social media.

In February this year, police submitted a charge sheet before a Dhaka court against Mushtaq, Kishore and Rashtrachinta Dhaka coordinator Didarul Bhuiyan, who got bail in September last year, in the case.

Also Read - Home Minister: Mushtaq’s death will be investigated if necessary

Later on, the Dhaka Cyber Tribunal ordered the CTTC to further investigate the case and submit a report to it by March 23.

Bail petitions of Mushtaq and Kishore were rejected several times.

Meanwhile, protests erupted over the death of Mushtaq in the capital. The demonstrators blamed the state for the death and demanded to repeal the Digital Security Act. 

They announced to lay siege to the Home Ministry on March 1.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said an investigation committee would be formed to look into the death of Mushtaq, if necessary.