Police sought seven days’ remand over allegations of incitement, funding for banned organisation and online propaganda

 
A Dhaka court on Sunday placed retired Major Khondaker Abdul Hafiz on a four-day police remand in a case filed over allegations of spreading provocative propaganda on social media, financing a banned organisation and conspiring against the state.
 
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Rakibul Hasan passed the order in the afternoon after a hearing on a seven-day remand petition filed by police.
 
Earlier, Sheikh Bashir Ahmed, an inspector of the Detective Branch's Cyber and Special Crime (South) division and the investigation officer in the case, sought seven days’ custody for interrogation.
 
During the hearing, state prosecutor Harun Or Rashid argued in favour of remand, saying Hafiz had been arrested based on important information obtained during the interrogation of two other accused former army officers — Lt Col (retd) Kazi Gulshan Ara and Lt Col (retd) Debashish.
 
The prosecutor alleged that Hafiz maintained contact with former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, the former home minister and senior Awami League leaders through online platforms named 'Unity Care' and 'Public Parliament'.
 
He also accused Hafiz of attempting to undermine the country's sovereignty by maintaining links with domestic and foreign intelligence agencies to destabilise the country.
 
On the other hand, defence lawyer Mohammad Imam Hossain Javed sought cancellation of the remand petition and bail for his client. After hearing both sides, the court granted four days of police custody.
 
According to the investigation officer's petition, Hafiz allegedly collected funds through anti-government WhatsApp groups in collaboration with Kazi Gulshan Ara, Lt Col (retd) Debashish and others. He was also accused of creating and circulating digital content intended to incite violence through various social media platforms.
 
The petition further alleged that Hafiz used the 'Unity Care' and 'Public Parliament' platforms, reportedly formed by several retired army officers, to maintain contact with former army chief General (retd) Aziz Ahmed, the former home minister and fugitive senior Awami League leaders.
 
Investigators claimed these activities were aimed at rehabilitating the banned organisation and planning anti-state violent activities.
 
The remand petition also referred to allegedly provocative posts published through a Facebook account named 'Khondokar A Hafiz' and other pages. The allegations include propaganda in support of killing police personnel, spreading defamatory information against the government and the state after August 5, and maintaining contacts with foreign intelligence agencies.
 
The investigation officer said Hafiz needed to be interrogated to identify other alleged accomplices, establish the whereabouts of those involved, gather information about suspected domestic and foreign intelligence operatives and recover digital evidence related to the case.
 
Police also cited the need to identify secret online pages and websites, examine seized electronic devices and uncover the details of the alleged conspiracy.
 
DB police arrested Hafiz from the capital's Banani area late Saturday night.
 
The case was filed with Pallabi Police Station. Its complaint alleges that Hafiz was involved in raising funds through anti-government online groups, spreading provocative propaganda and arranging illegal financing to rehabilitate the banned Awami League. He was also accused of spreading propaganda in support of killing police personnel and engaging in anti-state activities with assistance from domestic and foreign intelligence agencies.
 
All allegations against Hafiz remain under investigation.