Journalist Shafik Rehman arrested

Noted journalist and former editor of the daily Jaijaidin Shafik Rehman was arrested and put on a five-day remand yesterday to be interrogated over his involvement in the plot to abduct and kill Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Mazharul Islam gave the order after Hasan Arafat, assistant superintendent of police, produced Shafik before the court in the afternoon. Police in the remand prayer said many local and international conspirators are involved in the plot and Shafik needs to be grilled for information about the financier and other accomplices. Earlier in the day, detectives arrested Shafik from his residence in the capital's Eskaton and produced him before the court. Head of Dhaka Detective Branch (south) Deputy Commissioner Masrukur Rahman Khalid told the Dhaka Tribune Shafik was arrested for conspiring to kidnap and murder Joy, who is also the ICT adviser to the prime minister. DB Inspector Fazlur Rahman filed a case in this connection with Paltan police station in August last year. BNP's cultural wing Jatiyatabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha (JaSaS) Vice-president Mohammad Ullah Mamun and a number of unidentified BNP members were named in the case. On March 4 last year, a US court sentenced Mamun’s son Rizve Ahmed Caesar for his involvement in a bribery scheme to obtain confidential information from a former FBI special agent in New York. Addressing a press briefing at Dhaka Metropolitan Police media centre yesterday, Deputy Commissioner Maruf Hossain Sardar said: “Shafik was arrested as the investigator found his involvement in the plot to kill Joy.” Shafik’s wife Taleya Rehman said three people, introducing themselves as journalists of Boishakhi Television, come to the house to interview her husband around 7:30am. She said her husband was asleep at the time but as he went downstairs to meet the three persons after waking up, they claimed to be detectives. “The plain-clothes men were rude with the household staff and also scolded them. We later heard that Shafik was arrested in a case filed with Paltan police station.” Shafik lost his editorship of the daily Jaijaidin back in 2008 for his stand against the military-backed caretaker government.