Never met Joe Biden
DB chief says about Biden adviser imposter Arefy
Mian Zahidul Islam Arefy, who claimed himself to be an adviser to US President Joe Biden, has never spoken to Biden, said the DB chief.
Arefy, however, participated in a Zoom meeting attended by Biden's wife Jill Biden and 28 to 29 other individuals during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2021, Harun Or Rashid, additional commissioner (Detective Branch) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, told The Daily Star yesterday quoting Arefy.
A four-member DB investigation team, led by Harun, interrogated him at the Kashimpur jail yesterday for about two and a half hours in a case filed with Paltan Police Station over deceiving people using false identities.
The DB chief said they had earlier questioned Lt Gen (retd) Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardi, now on eight-day remand in the same case.
Harun said, "Arefy told us that he had fallen into Sarwardi's trap. Sarwardi had provided him with the contact numbers of some top BNP leaders and instructed him to contact them."
Sarwardi further directed Arefy to praise him before those political leaders so that he could be at the limelight in the political circles, said Harun quoting Arefy.
"Sarwardi purportedly assured Arefy that these efforts would create opportunities for him [Sarwardi] to become an MP or an adviser once there is a change in power. Sarwardi promised Arefy perks. Several meetings were held at Sarwardi's home with participation of some top BNP and Jamaat leaders. Arefy was also present in those meetings during which these promises were reinforced," said Harun.
Despite being involved in such activities, Arefy claimed to have been deceived and trapped by Sarwardi, said Harun.
He later regretted his involvement in such activities.
On October 28, Arefy, an American citizen of Bangladesh origin, joined a press conference at the BNP's central office in the capital's Nayapaltan. There he introduced himself as an "adviser" to Joe Biden.
The following day, he was arrested at the airport. He is now on a five-day remand in Kashimpur Central Jail.
The DB picked up Sarwardi on October 31.