Rashed Khan Menon, president of the Workers Party was placed on a five-day remand by a Dhaka court on Friday in a case filed over the murder of 45-year-old trader Abdul Wadud in the city's New Market area during the quota protests on July 19.
Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ali Haider passed the order after Newmarket police produced Menon, a key leader of the Awami League-led 14-Party Alliance, before court seeking a 10-day remand for questioning.
The defence also sought bail along with cancellation of the remand appeal.
Deposed Sheikh Hasina's cabinet member, Menon, was arrested in Gulshan on Thursday.
Victim's brother-in-law Abdur Rahman, filed the case with New Market Police on August 21 against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, Menon and 128 others.
Menon has also been made Hasina's co-accused in a number of cases over the deaths in clashes between protesters and law enforcers during the student-led movement.
In the past Awami League government, Menon had first served as the civil aviation and tourism minister, and later as the social welfare minister. He was elected MP from Barishal-2 in the last national polls held on January 7.
The chief of the leftist Workers Party had also served as the chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Education.
A key leader of the Awami League-led 14-Party Alliance, Menon was arrested from capital's Gulshan area on August 22.
Wadud was shot in front of New Market 1st gate on July 19. His relative Abdur Rahman filed the case with capital's New Market Police Station on August 21 against 130 people including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and Obaidul Quader.
Other prominent accused in the case are Mohammad Ali Arafat, Anisul Huq, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Salman Fazlur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud and Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun.
