A Dhaka court on Thursday placed two Bangladeshi men deported from Singapore over suspected links to militant organizations on a three-day remand for further questioning.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Jewel Rana passed the order after hearing a police plea seeking a five-day remand for Sahedul Islam, 37, and Rishad Ali, 25. State prosecutor Shamsuddoha Sumon confirmed the matter.
According to the remand petition, Airport Police Station Sub-Inspector Ashraful Alam produced the two before the court after showing them arrested under Section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Police said that during primary interrogation, the two admitted to having links with various banned militant organizations while living in Singapore.
The petition also said investigators feared they could engage in militant activities in Bangladesh or elsewhere. Police told the court they needed additional time to determine whether the suspects had ties to any banned militant groups in Bangladesh, used electronic devices to facilitate prohibited activities, received financial support for militancy, maintained any local network, or had links with internationally banned organizations.
Seeking the remand, prosecutor Shamsuddoha Sumon argued that the alleged activities of the two could tarnish Bangladesh's image, noting that a large number of Bangladeshi workers are employed in Singapore.
He said further interrogation was necessary to identify any associates and establish how and why they allegedly became involved in militant activities.
No lawyer appeared on behalf of the accused during the hearing.
When asked by the court why Singapore police had arrested him, Rishad Ali said he had posted about a person named Farabi on Facebook in 2023.
Asked to identify Farabi, Rishad said he was a leader of Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh who had previously been imprisoned in Bangladesh but was later released.
After the hearing, the court granted a three-day remand for both men.
According to police, Singapore authorities arrested the two on suspicion of militant involvement while they were living there and deported them to Bangladesh on Wednesday. They were handed over to immigration police at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport upon arrival.
Police also seized three mobile phones and the passports of the two accused.
