A Bangladesh court has ordered the detention of 16 individuals, including an 87-year-old former minister, on charges of conspiring to destabilize the country and overthrow the government. The arrests come amid heightened political tensions following the ouster of Sheikh Hasina’s government last year.
Police confirmed that the detainees were taken into custody on Thursday after attending a meeting at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU), where participants accused political parties of undermining the constitution. Witnesses reported that a mob stormed the venue, heckled the attendees, and later handed them over to authorities.
“They were arrested under the Anti-Terrorism Act,” said Khalid Mansur, officer-in-charge of Dhaka’s central police station. Police further told the court that the accused had been “hatching conspiracies and inciting unrest to destabilise the country and topple the government.”
Among those detained was Abdul Latif Siddiqui, a former minister in Hasina’s cabinet, and Hafizur Rahman Karzon, a law professor at the University of Dhaka. Journalist Manjurul Alam was also arrested, telling the court: “These hands have written against corruption for years.”
On Friday, the group appeared in court handcuffed and escorted in helmets and bulletproof vests. They denied the charges, insisting they were victims of political persecution.
The arrests highlight ongoing turmoil in Bangladesh following the 2024 uprising that ended Sheikh Hasina’s rule. With elections scheduled for February, political tensions remain high as rival factions compete for influence.
