Ctg Range Reserve Force SP Jahangir placed on 4-day remand in sedition case

A court has placed Chattogram Range Reserve Force (RRF) Superintendent of Police (SP) Md Jahangir Alam on a four-day remand in a sedition case over allegations that he conspired against the government while serving as a state official.

The court also directed the investigating agency, the Special Response Unit (SRU) of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP), to submit a report within seven days.

Jahangir Alam was produced before the court of Judge Mohammad Mostafa of the 4th Chattogram Metropolitan Magistrate Court around 3pm today (15 November) amid tight security.

The SRU had sought a seven-day remand, but the court granted four days after a hearing.

State counsel and Metropolitan Court Public Prosecutor Mahfuzul Haque Bhuiyan told the court that Jahangir Alam had assured his senior officials that he would continue chanting the “Joy Bangla” slogan until his last breath.

He added that the case had been filed against Jahangir on charges of conspiring against the government while serving as a state official.

Mahfuzul Haque said the four-day remand would help investigators identify others who might be involved in the incident. He added that action would be taken against anyone found involved in the investigation.

Jahangir Alam was arrested last night (14 November) over allegations that he maintained contact with leaders and activists of the banned Awami League and communicated with individuals concerned about ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s reported plan to return to the country in December.

A joint team of the SRU and Panchlaish Police Station arrested him at the CMP Officers’ Mess in the city and later took him to the SRU office.

CMP Commissioner Hasan Mohammad Shawkat Ali said the police officer was in SRU custody and that the Ministry of Home Affairs had approved the sedition case the previous day.

Police said Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) of RRF Abul Kashem filed the case against Jahangir Alam at Panchlaish Police Station.

Meanwhile, Jahangir Alam’s wife, Masuma Akter, claimed that her husband had been framed in a conspiracy. She said his mobile phone had been hacked and that neither he nor any member of their family was involved with a political party.

Earlier, after receiving preliminary information about the allegations, Chattogram Range DIG Md Abdul Kuddus Chowdhury summoned Jahangir Alam to his office on Tuesday (10 November) and questioned him.

His personal and official mobile phones were seized the same day and sent to the police Special Branch (SB) in Dhaka for forensic examination.

Sources at the Chattogram Range office said allegations had emerged that Jahangir Alam, a 28th BCS police cadre officer, had supplied important internal police information to Awami League leaders and activists. He was questioned over the allegation.

The First Information Report (FIR) mentions several messages allegedly sent from Jahangir Alam’s mobile phone.

One refers to organising a movement in December through large public gatherings and mentions his father’s participation in the 1996 movement demanding a caretaker government. It also includes a call to “rescue Bangladesh”. Several other similar messages are cited in the FIR.