Ctg RRF SP Jahangir arrested over alleged information leak to AL

A superintendent of police (SP) of the Chattogram Range Reserve Force (RRF) has been arrested in a sedition case over allegations that he maintained contact with leaders and activists of the banned Awami League and was involved in activities surrounding ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina's planned return to Bangladesh in December.

A joint team of the Special Response Unit (SRU) of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP), formerly known as the Counter Terrorism Unit, and Panchlaish police arrested SP Md Jahangir Alam from the CMP Officers' Mess early Sunday, shortly after the case was filed.

Jahangir joined the police force on 1 December, 2010. He is a 28th batch officer of the BCS police cadre.

Confirming the arrest, CMP Commissioner Hasan Mohammad Shawkot Ali told The Daily Sun that a sedition case had been filed against RRF officer Jahangir Alam.

“He was arrested from the CMP Officers' Mess yesterday after approval from the home ministry,” he said.

Earlier, on Tuesday, Chattogram Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Md Abdul Quddus Chowdhury questioned Jahangir at his office after preliminary evidence of his alleged links with the banned Awami League emerged.

Both his personal and official mobile phones were seized on the same day and sent to the Police Special Branch (SB) in Dhaka for forensic examination.

Meanwhile, Chattogram Range Additional DIG (Operations) Shafizul Islam is conducting a departmental inquiry into the matter.

According to the first information report (FIR), Jahangir allegedly sent several messages from his mobile phone. One of them read: “In December, people will take to the streets like bees. In 1996, when my father took to the streets, inspired by Bangabandhu's ideals, demanding a caretaker government, I also joined him despite being very young. We must save our Bangladesh, sir…”

The CMP commissioner said the FIR also mentioned several other messages that the officer had allegedly sent to different people.

The police's specialised SRU, which operates under the counter-terrorism framework, will investigate the case.