Court grants 7-day remand of Subrata Bain over Hatirjheel killing of Jubo Dal activist

A Dhaka court has placed “top criminal” Subrata Bain, alias Fateh Ali, in police custody for seven days for interrogation over the murder of Jubo Dal activist Arif Sikder in Hatirjheel.

Metropolitan Magistrate Abdul Wahab issued the order on Wednesday after police sought 10 days to question Subrata in connection with the case, which stems from a fatal shooting in April, reports bdnews24.com.

Detective Branch Inspector Mohammad Majharul Islam, the investigating officer, had filed the remand petition on Jun 25. Subrata was produced before the court on Wednesday for the hearing.

During proceedings, Acting Public Prosecutor Azizul Haq Didar told the court that Subrata was listed among 23 most-wanted criminals by the home ministry and his custodial interrogation was necessary for a “proper and thorough investigation.”

Defence counsel Mohammed Badal Mia opposed the petition and requested bail, arguing there was no mention of Subrata in the original complaint.

“The FIR [first information report] names 10 accused, three of them aged 40 or above and the rest around 19. The roles of the main and second accused are detailed in the statement, but there is no reference to Subrata Bain. He has no connection with this case,” the lawyer said.

“They call him a top criminal from 2001. But we know how these narratives are spun. There is no basis for implicating him, only suspicion,” he added.

The magistrate then asked the investigation officer to explain why Subrata’s name had been added.

Officer Majharul replied that during a confessional statement by a suspect identified only as Miraj, the names of Ifti and Rony, also mentioned by their single names, had emerged.

“Ifti took a firearm from Rony, used it, and later returned it. Subrata Bain is known to be an associate of theirs,” the officer told the court.

Subrata’s lawyer countered by saying his client had been in solitary confinement for two and a half years and had only come out of prison after Aug 5 last year.

“He was deported from India in mid-2022. He has no connection, even remotely, with the other accused. We request bail and, if necessary, suggest jail gate questioning instead of remand.”

After hearing arguments from both sides, the magistrate granted a seven-day remand. The decision was later confirmed by Sub-Inspector Moksedul Islam from the prosecution team.

Subrata and three others, including his associate Molla Masud, were arrested on May 27 by a joint force and found in possession of illegal firearms. The following day, Subrata was remanded for eight days in a case filed under the Arms Act with Hatirjheel Police Station.

He was sent to jail after the remand ended on Jun 5, but was subsequently shown arrested in the Arif Sikder murder case, with a fresh remand plea submitted by police.

According to case details, Arif Sikder was shot on the night of Apr 19 outside “The Jheel Cafe” on Morol Goli in Nayatola under Hatirjheel Thana. He was admitted to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in critical condition and died two days later, on Apr 21.

His sister, Rima Akter, later filed a murder case naming several individuals, including Subrata’s alleged associate, Mahfuzur Rahman Bipu.