DB couldn’t take on remand ‘Biden adviser’ Mia Arefi in 23 days

The Detective Branch (DB) of police faced challenges in securing remand for questioning Mia Arefi, also known as Zahidul Islam, the alleged adviser of US President Joe Biden, for a period of 23 days.

The court on 2 November granted a five-day remand for him for interrogation.

Mia Arefi was apprehended at Shahjalal International Airport on 29 October in connection with a case filed at Paltan police station, involving charges of impersonation and breach of trust through false identity.

Lieutenant General (retd.) Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardy, another accused in the same case, completed an eight-day remand and is currently in prison.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s DB is overseeing the investigation.

ccording to a source within the DB, Mia Arefi could not be remanded due to the lack of permission from a higher authority.

Meanwhile, information gathered during the remand interrogation of Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardy is under scrutiny.  

However, a source connected to the investigation reveals that the progress of the case has stalled. Officials from the Motijheel Division of DB declined to provide details on the case’s advancement.

This correspondent failed to gather information about the progress of the case involving Mia Arefi contacting Deputy Commissioner Faruk Hossain, the spokesperson for Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).

In response to inquiries about Mia Arefi’s remand and interrogation, Faruk Hossain requested to ask DB officials. However, the DB officials declined to provide any information on the matter.

On 28 October, following the disruption of BNP’s grand rally due to clashes, Mia Arefi, identifying himself as Biden’s adviser, visited BNP’s central office in Naya Paltan and spoke to news persons.

During that time, BNP leader Ishraque Hossain and Lieutenant General (Retd.) Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardy were also present. Mia Arefi was subsequently arrested from the airport the next day.

On the same day, Mohiuddin Shikder filed a case against Mia Arefi, Chowdhury Hasan Sarwardy, and BNP leader Ishraque Hossain at Paltan police station, charging them with “criminal breach of trust by false identity”.

Mohiuddin Shikder, the plaintiff in the case, informed Prothom Alo that after filing the case, the court granted a five-day remand for the interrogation of Mia Arefi. However, he was unaware of whether the interrogation took place later.