Death threat to PM: Rajshahi BNP leader arrested, remanded

BNP's Rajshahi district unit Convener Abu Sayeed Chand, arrested for issuing a "death threat" to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was placed on a five-day remand yesterday afternoon.

The court of Judicial Magistrate Mahbub Alam granted the five-day remand in the case filed with Puthia Police Station under the Anti-Terrorism Act, said the court's Public Prosecutor Jalal Uddin.

The police produced him before the court at 3:30pm and submitted a 10-day remand appeal, he added.

Earlier in the day, a special team of police apprehended him at a checkpost in the Bheripara area around 11:15am, said Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) Commissioner Anisur Rahman.

The police commissioner briefed journalists detailing the arrest at a press conference held at the RMP headquarters in the afternoon.

According to police, Chand went into hiding and was constantly on the move to evade arrest.

On information, a joint team of Rajshahi range and metropolitan police set up the checkpost in Bheripara and arrested Chand as he was fleeing in a private car.

AL's Baneswar union unit General Secretary Abul Kalam Azad sued Chand, also a member of BNP's central committee, under the Anti-Terrorism Act at Puthia police station on Monday.

In his case, Azad alleged that Chand threatened the PM while addressing a public rally held at Shibpirhat School field in Puthia upazila on Friday.

During his speech, Chand said the BNP has no other demand except to ensure that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina goes to her grave, Azad claimed in the case.

Chand will be shown arrested first in the case filed with Puthia Police Station, said Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Rajshahi Range Police Abdul Baten during the same press conference at RMP headquarters.

"Then he will also be shown arrested in other cases filed against him in different parts of the country. Chand is also accused in four other cases filed with the RMP," he added.

Meanwhile, in a statement on Wednesday, the BNP termed Chand's remark as "an unwanted slip of the tongue".

Leveraging this situation, the ruling party is now trying to increase the level of repression on BNP men, said the statement signed by BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.