Audio viral: Ex-Dhaka Cantonment OC shown arrested in sedition case, produced before court

Police have shown Rakibul Hasan, former officer-in-charge (OC) of Dhaka Cantonment police station who came into discussion after an audio recording containing his comments about the government, police and various forces went viral, arrested in a sedition case.

On Thursday evening, the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police produced him before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court in Dhaka and sought a seven-day remand.

Asked about the matter, DMP Additional Commissioner (Detective Branch-DB) Md Shafiqul Islam told Prothom Alo that police filed a sedition case against Rakibul Hasan with the Cantonment police station today. He was then shown arrested in the sedition case and sent to court seeking a seven-day remand.

An audio recording of a conversation involving Rakibul Hasan went viral on social media on the night of 16 September, when he was serving as OC of Cantonment police station in the capital.

In the audio, Rakibul Hasan is heard commenting on Sheikh Hasina’s return to the country and the capability of the police. He also spoke about the political positions of senior police officers. Besides, he alleged various irregularities, including financial transactions in postings to different positions in the police.

As the audio clip stirred discussion, Rakibul Hasan was withdrawn from the Cantonment police station the following day. Citing 'administrative reasons', he was attached to the Central Reserve Office of the DMP headquarters and Administration Division at Rajarbagh in the capital. The DMP formed a three-member committee to investigate him.

Police officials concerned had said that Rakibul Hasan was taken to the DB office on Minto Road in the capital that night. However, the following day (18 September), DB chief Shafiqul Islam denied that he had been taken to the DB office.

Nothing was known about where Rakibul Hasan had been during the past week. Today, DB chief Shafiqul Islam said that Rakibul had been arrested in a sedition case.

Shafiqul Islam told Prothom Alo that after Rakibul Hasan was withdrawn, a three-member investigation committee was formed against him. The committee submitted its report to the DMP commissioner yesterday, Wednesday. Following this, a decision was taken today to file a sedition case against Rakibul.

In the audio, police inspector Rakibul Hasan is heard saying, “I know Sheikh Hasina is coming in December. Nothing will happen, if she comes, nothing will happen. You can understand how weak the police on the streets are. Extremely weak. She should come. December is already late. She should have come this month. If she comes, this police won’t be able to do anything.”

The police officer is also heard saying, “All the senior officers are getting involved in BNP. We are not. All the seniors are doing it, we are not doing so. We didn’t join the department to do this. You will eat and drink, …and enjoy yourselves, while we will sit here and work—that won’t happen.”

In the audio, Rakibul Hasan alleged financial transactions in the posting of OCs and the appointment of incompetent officers while depriving qualified officers of postings.

The audio also says that a driver of a senior police officer named Monir was arranging postings of OCs at police stations. He is heard saying, “Can these things be tolerated? What else can I say? Those getting postings are giving money to him (Monir), and postings are being given in the morning.”

A DMP press release said that a case had been filed against Rakibul Hasan and that he had been sent to court.

It said police inspector Md Rakibul Hasan, former officer-in-charge (OC) of the Cantonment police station under the Dhaka Metropolitan Police, had been arrested in a sedition case and sent to court over allegations of spreading anti-state and provocative statements on social media.

The police sought a seven-day remand to bring the accused into police custody for intensive questioning for a proper investigation into the case and to uncover the main conspiracy behind the incident.