Hasnat, a Bangladeshi civil engineer with British nationality, was placed on eight day fresh remand by Metropolitan Magistrate Emdadul Haque yesterday when Police’s Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime Unit’s Inspector Humayun Kabir placed him in court yesterday.
The former North South University teacher was arrested along with Toronto University student Tahmid Hasib Khan by police on August 3 night under section 54. Tahmid is also a survivor of the attack.
The two were interrogated eight days starting August 4.
Yesterday, Tahmid was also placed on six day additional remand, but he has not been shown arrested in the case.
During Hasnat’s remand hearing, prosecution’s counsel Assistant Public Prosecutor Hemayet Uddin Khan Hiron told the court that some photographs published in the media had shown Hasnat having a chat with one of the attackers.
In the photos, taken from a nearby building, Hasnat and Tahmid are seen talking with one of the militants, Rohan Imtiaz, on the terrace of the two-storied restaurant building. The photos show Tahmid and Rohan carrying firearms and talking to Hasnat.
Even though the investigators sought remand referring to the photos, CT unit chief Monirul Islam on Friday told reporters they were unsure about the accuracy of those photos.
On Thursday the CT unit obtained a court order to collect the original photos from the news media that published them, in order to carry out forensic tests and verify their authenticity.
During the hearing, Hasnat’s counsels Golam Mostafa Lasker and Mahbubul Alam Dulal said their client was innocent and appealed for bail. They alleged that the prosecution had not allowed them to get the necessary documents.
Mahbubul Alam said his client was forced to obey the terrorists’ instructions at gun point.
“Further interrogation in the case will be just mockery,” Mahbubul Alam said, adding, his client was one of the victims of the attack and went there with his family members.
The magistrate said Hasnat would be remanded for eight days and stopped Hasnat’s counsels.
Hasnat was put in the court without any handcuff but he appeared nervous.
Metropolitan Magistrate Golam Nabi approved the six-day remand for Tahmid under Section 54 on suspicion of having links with the attack.
Hasnat was in the O Kitchen Restaurant with his wife and two children during the 11 hours of the attack.
His wife Sharmina Parveen told the Dhaka Tribune that the further remand was difficult for the family but they would continue to cooperate with the authorities to secure his release.
Wednesday, July 22, 2026
