AL leaders with hands cuffed behind backs as they want to raise hands, shout against govt: PP

Around 9:39am on Wednesday morning, two police men opened the main gate of the custody of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) court.

Five police members were standing in front of the custody, all with sticks in hand. Behind them were Salman F Rahman, private industry affairs adviser to ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, and Zunaid Ahmed Palak, former state minister for information and technology ministry.

Salman had his hands cuffed behind his back, so were Palak's.

Standing behind Palak with their heads bowed are former MP Sulaiman Selim and former mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation Atiqul Islam. Sulaiman and Atiq had their hands cuffed behind their backs.

Standing behind Sulaiman with their heads bowed is former senior secretary Mohibul Haque. He had his hands cuffed behind his back.

Standing to the left of Mohibul Haque was former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal’s son, Safi Mudassir Khan Jyoti. He had his hands cuffed behind his back.

Salman, Palak, Atiqul, and Mohibul wore police helmets. The front of the helmet was covered with glass. And each of them was on bulletproof jackets.

With their heads bowed, Salman, Palak, Atiqul, and Mohibul climbed the stairs from the ground floor of the court building to the second floor.

After they were taken in front of the courtroom, their helmets were removed. When they were taken to the dock, police removed the handcuffs from one hand. Salman, Palak, Atiqul, Sulaiman and Mohibul were all standing on the dock with heads bowed down.

At 9:40am, with the judge yet to arrive, Palak was seen having a conversation with one of his lawyers. He told the lawyer, “I don’t expect to get bail now. But you will collect copies of the case statement and charge sheet of every case filed against me.”

Then Palak kept giving his lawyer one advice after another. Atiqul Islam, who was standing to Palak's left, was also talking to his lawyer.

Salman F Rahman kept talking to his lawyer about various matters, including case-related matters, since he went to the dock. One of the officers said, "Sir (judge) is coming."

After the judge arrived in the courtroom, the police called Salman F Rahman and Atiqul by name.

Police told the court that an application had been filed to show Salman and Atiqul arrested in a case filed by Bhatara police station. The court granted their application to show them arrested in this case.
 

With handcuffs on one hand, Palak, wearing a blue T-shirt and black pants, stared at the judge.

Then the police told the court that an application had been filed to remand Palak for seven days in the Riaz murder case filed at Dhanmondi police station.

Omar Faruk Faruqi, the chief public prosecutor (PP) of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court in Dhaka, began to present arguments in favour of the remand.

Omar Faruq Faruqi told the court that Palak, an illegitimate state minister in the fascist Hasina government, had shut down the internet during the student-people's mass uprising against discrimination in July. In July, the Chhatra League had beaten up female students and others in the Dhaka University area. Riaz was shot dead in Dhanmondi area during the movement. Palak was one of the conspirators in shooting and killing the protesters during the student-people's mass uprising against discrimination.

Palak's lawyer opposed this stance by the state. His lawyer told the court that Palak had been remanded for 12 consecutive days recently. He was taken on remand before. He is not involved in any murder.

The court granted Palak a three-day remand after hearing. During the hearing, Palak stared at the judge.

Former home minister’s son Safi stood silently in the dock initially. However, he talked with Sulaiman several times during the hearing of other accused.  

PP Omar Faruq told the court that Safi was involved with various crimes including extortion and taking bribes in police recruitment. He had formed a criminal gang when his father was the home minister.

Safi’s lawyer protested against the state’s allegation and said he has been accused in slew of cases just because of his father.

The court granted a three-day remand for Safi.

Former secretary Mohibul and former DNCC mayor Atiqul, standing silently on the dock, talked with their lawyers for a while.

Mohibul was arrested in a case filed with Tejgaon police station. Atiqul and Salman were arrested in another case with Bhatara police station.

After the fall of Sheikh Hasina government in a student-led mass uprising on 5 August, a total of 27 ministers of the government including former law minister Anisul Huq were arrested. Six state ministers and three deputy ministers and three advisers of Sheikh Hasina were also arrested. The arrested Awami League leaders include 43 former members of parliament and 11 former bureaucrats.

After 5 August, Anisul, Salman, former ministers, state ministers, advisers, secretaries and mayors were brought to the court with one hand in handcuffs. However, for the past two weeks, several others, including Anisul and Salman, have been brought to court from jail with both hands behind their backs.

Regarding Salman and Palak being brought to court with both hands behind their backs, PP Omar Faruq Faruqi told the court, "Recently, it has come to my attention that several accused, including Salman and Anisul, are being brought to court with both hands behind their backs. Basically, several accused want to raise their hands and shout anti-government remarks while being brought to the court from jail. They have hands cuffed behind their backs so that they cannot raise their hands and make such statements.”