BNP leader Annie placed on 4-day remand

Police arrested BNP's Publicity Secretary Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie at his Dhanmondi house in Dhaka early Wednesday in a case filed over attacking police.

Later Annie, a former lawmaker from Lakhsmipur-3 constituency, was put on a four-day remand when he was produced before a court. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Rashidul Alam passed the remand order after police submitted a seven-day remand prayer.

"Annie was arrested in the early hours of Wednesday and sent to the court in the morning," Parvez Islam, officer-in-charge of the Dhanmondi Police Station, told The Business Standard.

DMP's Dhanmondi Zone Assistant Commissioner Abu Taleb told TBS that there are three warrants for the BNP leader's arrest – one by a Dhaka court and two by a Lakshmipur court.

Additional Commissioner of Detective Branch Mohammad Harun Or Rashid told reporters, "There are two warrants for Annie's arrest in cases with Lakshmipur police station. He is also accused in another case filed over an incident of attacking police in Dhaka's Science Lab area. The Dhanmondi police arrested him in these three cases."

Harun Or Rashid went on to say, "He did not get bail nor did he appear in court in any of the cases. As he did not appear in court even after being informed multiple times, the police arrested him."

Earlier, BNP's media cell chief Zahir Uddin Swapan said the police took position around Annie's house around 1:30am.

Annie claimed that he was being targeted unlawfully.

Speaking to The Business Standard over phone prior to his detention, he said, "The police are kicking the door and threatening to break in and shoot me if I don't open the door. I am currently on bail in all cases; yet they are trying to pick me up illegally."

Allegation of torture

Annie told the court that the police, after breaking into his Dhanmondi house in the early hours, took him to the police station where he was beaten badly, according to several court sources who were present during the hearing of the case. While narrating the descriptions, Annie broke into tears, they said.

Annie was quoted as saying: "They [policemen] entered my house at midnight by breaking the door although I was a member of parliament twice. I even took part in a programme at the National Press Club [in Dhaka] on Tuesday. Police could have arrested me from there. So, why did they come to my house in the wee hours?