Hannan Shah remanded

A Dhaka court yesterday placed BNP leader Brig (retd) ASM Hannan Shah on a two-day remand, allowing police to quiz him in a case filed over torching a car in the capital.
Metropolitan Magistrate Tareq Mainul Islam Bhuiyan passed the order after Sub-inspector of Bhatara Police Station Md Akramul Haque, also the investigation officer of the case, produced the BNP standing committee member before the court and prayed for a 10-day remand.
The case was filed with Bhatara Police Station on October 26 accusing 19 identified and 15 unknown leaders and activists of the BNP-led 18 party alliance of torching a car on Pragati Sarani the same day which was followed by a spell of 60-hour hartal enforced by the opposition combine.
Police picked up Hannan from the capital's Baridhara on Monday night without citing any specific reason for the detention.
Later yesterday, police showed him arrested in the arson case before producing him to the court.
Though his name was not in the First Information Report of the case, he was accused of masterminding and directing the execution of the arson.
Hannan led the BNP leaders and activists in creating anarchy, killing people by torching vehicles, damaging public and private properties, blocking roads and using explosives in the name of anti-government movement, police said in the remand plea.
Police then sought 10-day remand for the BNP leader so that they could "arrest the absconding accused and recover explosives that might be used in further subversive activities."
The court, however, granted a two-day remand.
During the remand hearing, Hannan claimed his innocence and alleged that the case was politically motivated and filed only to harass him.
Meanwhile, Hannan Shah was also shown arrested in other cases filed for "attempted murder of police" and "triggering violence" in the country.
Five other BNP senior leaders including Moudud Ahmed and MK Anwar were shown arrested and remanded in the same cases.