Hizb ut-Tahrir chief organizer among 36 held, 17 remanded

According to the Press Wing of the Chief Adviser, the arrests were made during operations carried out in various parts of the country since yesterday. Among those arrested is the chief organizer of Hizb ut-Tahrir, Saiful Islam.  

In a press statement on Saturday (March 8), Inspector General of Police (IGP) Baharul Alam stated that law enforcement officials analyzed video footage of recent gatherings and identified several members of the organization. He added that participation in a banned group’s political activities is a criminal offense, and further arrests will be made accordingly.  

Additionally, the court has granted a six-day remand for 17 detained members of Hizb ut-Tahrir. Following a hearing on the police’s 10-day remand request, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Masuma Rahman issued the order on Saturday (March 8).  

According to case details, on March 7 at 2 PM, members of Hizb ut-Tahrir organized a "March for Khilafah" near Baitul Mukarram Mosque in the Paltan area. When police intervened, the demonstrators threw bricks and stones at the officers, disrupting law and order.  

Following the incident, police filed a case at Paltan Police Station on March 8 (Saturday). The accused face charges under sections 8, 9, 10, 12, and 13 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009 (Amendment-2013).  

Law enforcement agencies have stated that further investigations are ongoing and that more arrests may follow in connection with the case.