Rashed shown arrested in another case, remanded again

Quota reform leader Muhammad Rashed Khan was shown arrested yesterday in another case filed for ransacking the residence of the Dhaka University vice-chancellor in April, although his name was not included in the first information report (FIR).

The case was filed with Shahbagh Police Station against unknown people for entering the VC residence and ransacking it around 12:30am on April 9.

Rashed, a joint convener of Bangladesh Sadharan Chhatra Odhikar Sangrakkhan Parishad, was also placed on a five-day remand in the ransacking case.

This is the second time he was remanded. Earlier, Rashed was interrogated during a five-day remand in a case filed under the information and communication technology (ICT) act for “demeaning” Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Facebook.

After the end of the five-day remand, the investigation officer -- Sub-inspector Md Sajibuzzaman of Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police -- yesterday sought to remand Rashed for 10 more days in the ICT case.

After the hearing, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Asaduzzaman Nur gave an additional five days.

The same court also allowed the investigation officer in the ransacking case to remand Rashed for five days separately.

During yesterday's remand prayer, the investigator of the ICT case said Rashed gave vital clues, and he needs to be remanded again for gathering more information.   

The ransacking case is being investigated by Fazlur Rahman, an assistant commissioner of DB.

Meanwhile, Rashed's lawyer advocate Saydur Rahman submitted two separate petitions seeking bail for his client and rejection of the remand prayers. He said Rashed was implicated in the cases as part of a conspiracy to harass him.

During yesterday's hearing, Rashed's parents, sister and wife were present at the court and broke down in tears when he appeared. 

According to the first case, Rashed allegedly demeaned Sheikh Hasina on Facebook on June 27, an allegation the quota reform leader denied.

Rashed was detained on July 1 when the government went offensive against the quota demonstrators. He was later shown arrested in the ICT case filed on that day with Shahbagh Police Station by a leader of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL).

At that time, the ruling Awami League-affiliated student front also cracked down on the quota reform activists, beating them up mercilessly in Dhaka and elsewhere.

Since then, citizens, politicians and organisations have been on the street vocal against the “barbaric acts” of BCL and demanding unconditional release of Rashed.