Police picked up an HSC examinee after failing to find his elder brother during an early morning raid on July 22.

Eighteen-year-old Abu Raihan, a student of Reboti Mohan Pilot School and College, is now in Narayanganj jail, said his family members.

They alleged that law enforcers in plainclothes raided their Atigram home under Siddirganj upazila of Narayanganj around 3:00am to arrest Raihan's elder brother Abdul Kader Jilani, who is the Siddirganj Thana Jatiyotabadi Chatra Dal president.    

"The law enforcers came to our house in search of our brother Jilani who usually stays away from home for his involvement in politics. Failing to find him, police picked up Raihan despite our mother telling them that he has been appearing in the HSC exam," Sagor, the second of three siblings, told The Daily Star.

Raihan, a student of science department, secured GPA 5 in the 2022 SSC exam, said Sagor, adding that his younger was not involved in politics.

Sagor said he was in another room when police were whisking away Raihan, saying that it would help them arrest Jilani.

The law enforcers told the single mother of three to appear at the Siddirganj Police Station with Raihan's exam admit card.

"We appeared at the police station with Raihan's admit card around 4:00am and stayed there till 11:00am before police told us that Raihan has been sent to the court. He was shown arrested under section 54," said Sagor.

He said they rushed to the court and appealed for Raihan's release through a lawyer. However, the court sent Raihan to jail the same day.

"We had an apprehension that our eldest brother might be arrested for his association with opposition political party. But why police arrested my innocent youngest brother?" asked Sagor, a fish trader.

Golam Mostafa Russell, Narayanganj superintendent of police, said, "Those who have carried out mass destruction are mostly  involved with BNP or Jamaat. It is not possible to identify everyone  instantly. If we find any involvement of the boy after verification,  then he will be made accused in the case; otherwise, he will be  released."