Sedition case: Ex-Cantonment OC Rakibul sent to jail after remand

A Dhaka court today sent Md Rakibul Hasan, former officer-in-charge of Cantonment Police Station, to jail after remand in a sedition case over allegations of spreading anti-state and provocative statements on social media.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Arifur Rahman passed the order after the Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) produced Rakibul before the court on completion of a two-day remand, a police official said.

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On September 28, Rakibul was placed on a two-day remand. Prior to that, he was put on a five-day remand on September 24.

Police filed the case against Rakibul and four to five unnamed persons under different sections of the Penal Code on September 24.

On September 17, Rakibul was withdrawn and attached to DMP headquarters after an audio clip allegedly containing his controversial remarks about the government, administration, and police went viral on social media.

According to the case documents, the statements made by the accused on social media in a hateful or reckless manner had the potential to trigger riots in the country. His remarks concerning the organisation whose activities remain banned [Awami League] contained sufficient elements of provocation and incitement to create tension and potentially lead to violent disorder.