Family members and lawyers for detained Mahmudur Rahman, acting editor of the recently closed daily Amar Desh, yesterday alleged that he has been taken to an unknown destination from the custody of the detective branch (DB) of police.
They also feared for his life.
And Rights body Odhikar in a statement yesterday said journalists of the Amar Desh informed it they believe their acting editor has been taken to the office of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI) at Dhaka Cantonment for interrogation.
Apprehension of torture on Mahmudur Rahman was also expressed by the family, lawyers and the rights body.
The managing committee of Jatiya Press Club in a statement demanded immediate release of Mahmudur Rahman, and deplored "unwarranted intervention in the print and electronic media across the country".
Addressing a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club, the lawyers claimed unidentified persons in plain clothes took Mahmudur Rahman to an unknown destination from the Mintoo Road DB office yesterday morning.
Reading out a statement, advocate Sanaullah Mian said some relatives of Mahmudur Rahman including his mother, lawmaker Nilufar Chowdhury Moni, and lawyers and journalists were present at the gate of the DB office when Mahmudur was taken away.
He said journalists tried to follow the vehicle in which he Mahmudur was being taken from the DB office but they failed to trace it after it entered cantonment area.
Lawyers present at the press conference noted that as per Supreme Court directives, no one other than the investigation officer of a case can interrogate an accused person on remand. But DB police, as alleged by them, handed over Mahmudur Rahman to unidentified persons, which is unlawful.
Mahmudur Rahman was arrested from the Amar Desh office on June 2. The government cancelled declaration of the newspaper on June 1.
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(2min 14sec): The third instalment from the set of How to Lose Friends and Alienate People
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