Charges brought against 2 former army officers, put on 4-day remand

Former two army officers, Lieutenant Colonel (Retd.) Debashish and Lieutenant (Retd.) Kazi Gulshan Ara, have been arrested by the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).

Police stated that they were arrested under the Anti-Terrorism Act and Cyber Security Act cases.

According to police, they were arrested late last night during a raid in the capital. The operation was conducted by members of the Pallabi Zonal Team of DMP's Detective Branch. They were apprehended from a house in the Banani DOHS area at around 2: 30 AM.

Pallabi Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Jalal Uddin told Prothom Alo that a DB police inspector has filed a case against the former army officers under the Anti-Terrorism Act and Cyber Security Act.

The case statement alleges that the arrested former army officers and their associates are involved in anti-government propaganda, fund-raising, and creating and promoting provocative digital content for violence on various social media platforms.

Additionally, they are accused of maintaining contact with former army chief General (Retd.) Aziz Ahmed and former Home Minister and top fugitive leaders through a platform named 'Unity Care Public Parliament' and are involved in conspiracies against the state.

The statement further claims that content was being created with the intent to incite violence and instability through a page called ''KalAjkal. com''. They are also accused of conducting and promoting various anti-state activities using social media.

According to the police's statement, they are accused of illegal financing with the intention of operating banned organisational activities and involvement in offences under various clauses of the Anti-Terrorism Act and Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025. The statement mentions that since 5 August 2024, they have been conspiring against the government and Bangladesh alongside their associates and conducting slanderous propaganda.

Moreover, Lieutenant (Retd.) Kazi Gulshan Ara is accused of publicly expressing solidarity and loyalty to the then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with more than one and a half hundred retired army officers before the election on 27 November 2018. The statement also includes accusations of forming a committee named Bangladesh Army Council and spreading hatred among various classes and professions through the organisation.

The court has granted a four-day remand for questioning the former army officers in this case. Dhaka's Metropolitan Magistrate Didarul Alam gave this order on Monday evening after a hearing. The state's lawyer Harun Or Rashid confirmed this information to Prothom Alo.

Before this, the investigation officer of the case, Inspector Sheikh Bashir Ahmed of DB's Cyber and Special Crime Division, presented former army officers Debashish and Gulshan Ara in court seeking a seven-day remand.

The remand application stated the necessity to identify and locate other accused individuals, verify the involvement of domestic and foreign individuals, recover digital evidence, search for any other websites or pages operated by the accused, and uncover the main mystery of the incident.

Around 5: 45 PM, defendants Debashish and Gulshan Ara were presented in the dock. The judge appeared shortly thereafter. The investigation officer then presented arguments in favour of the remand application, stating that they participated in WhatsApp meetings with the former Home Minister engaging in various plots to destabilise the country. Additionally, other various incriminating elements were found, prompting the remand request.

During this time, defendant's lawyer Abdullah Al Monsur requested to dismiss the remand application, stating that Lieutenant Colonel (Retd.) Debashish is the second accused in this case and claims against him are unacceptable. He questioned the rationale for the treason charge, stating that his crimes were not articulated in the remand plea.

And Gulshan Ara's lawyer Mohammad Moshiur Rahman argued that the accusation of attempting to destabilise the country by appearing on a talk show lacks substance as there is no mention of any destabilising statements made. The remand plea lacks grounds for the accused to be taken into custody.

Then, the state lawyer Harun Or Rashid argued for the remand, saying, "The accused have maintained regular contact with leaders and activists of the fallen government to destabilise the country. There is contact with local and international spies. We seek a seven-day remand to gather more information about their connections, sabotage activities, and their plans. "
After hearing from both sides, the court granted a four-day remand.