A Dhaka court on Tuesday placed former Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) director Afzal Naser on a fresh three-day remand in connection with the murder of a BNP activist in the capital’s Paltan area.
The court granted the fifth round of remand for the dismissed army officer in the case involving BNP worker Mokbul, extending police custody for further interrogation.
Afzal Naser, a former lieutenant colonel, was arrested on March 29 from a residence in Mirpur DOHS by the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police. He hails from Senbagh upazila in Noakhali district and joined the Bangladesh Army in 1984. He served as DGFI chief between June 2007 and March 2008.
According to investigative sources, Naser was posted in the anti-terrorism unit of DGFI during the political upheaval of the 2007�"08 Bangladesh political crisis. The unit was led by Brigadier General ATM Amin at the time.
He faces longstanding allegations of involvement in unlawful detention, torture, and coercive interrogations during that period. Several senior BNP leaders, including Tarique Rahman, had previously accused security officials of physical and psychological abuse during the crackdown.
Additional allegations against Naser include the harassment of BNP Vice Chairman Abdul Awal Mintoo and the forced recording of video statements, as well as alleged involvement in the widely circulated interrogation video of former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar. He has also been accused of torturing businessman Mosaddeq Ali Falu.
Police say the ongoing remand will focus on clarifying Naser’s role in the Mokbul murder case and examining links to past allegations tied to his tenure in intelligence service.
