Staff Correspondent

Seriouly-ill senior journalist Md. Azahar Ali Sarkar (57) who is in prison now has been formally shown arrested on Monday (June 29) in a case filed under the Anti-Terrorism Act with the capital's Shahbagh Police Station again though he waa granted bail in another case in High Court Division recently.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md. Jewel Rana passed the order on Monday following a petition submitted by the police.

Court sources revealed that at around 12:30 PM, Azahar Ali was brought to the courtroom in a wheelchair from the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) court lockup for the hearing.

While being escorted out of the courtroom after the proceedings, he told present journalists, "I am completely innocent. I have been unjustly implicated in this case. I was never involved with any organization named '71 Moncho'. I have been shown arrested in a completely fabricated case." He also told thar he has been suffering from severe physical illness.

Earlier on June 18, the investigation officer of the case, Police Inspector (Unarmed) Md. Akhter Morshed, had filed an application before the court seeking to show the journalist arrested in the anti-terrorism case.

During the hearing , state prosecutor Shamsuddoha Suman argued in favour of the police petition, stating that a controversial organization named 'Moncho 71' emerged on August 5 last year with the primary objective of erasing the spirit of the Liberation War and the nation's achievements.

The prosecutor alleged that the accused, Azahar Ali, was present at the scene during the incident and was involved in a conspiracy to overthrow the interim government by creating public panic through terrorist activities. Therefore, showing him arrested was necessary in the interest of justice.

In contrast, defense counsel Md. Ripon strongly opposed the state's move, arguing that his client has been suffering from chronic liver and kidney complications, alongside high blood pressure and diabetes.

The lawyer mentioned that Azahar Ali is critically ill, and the police have failed to produce any concrete evidence connecting him to any form of terrorist activity. He further alleged that as soon as his client secures bail in one case, he is repeatedly shown arrested in new cases out of political motivation.

After reviewing the case files and records, the court rejected the defense's arguments and granted the police petition to show him arrested in the case.

It is mentioned that 16 individuals, including former minister Abdul Latif Siddique and Hafizur Rahman Karzon, were sent to jail in connection with the same case on August 29 last year.

Journalist Azahar Ali Sarkar was initially arrested from the Banasree area of Rampura on the night of October 10 last year and has been facing cycles of remand in various cases since then.

It is also mentioned that he is a BNP-supported journalist and has a reputation in crime reporting for a long time.