Rajshahi BNP leader Chand remanded over PM death threat

A Rajshahi court has put BNP leader Abu Sayeed Chand, who threatened to kill Awami League chief and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina , on a five-day remand for questioning.

Rajshahi Judicial Magistrate Mahbub Alam passed the order after the police presented him in court with a 10-day remand plea just a few hours after his arrest on Thursday.

Earlier in the day, police arrested him at a checkpost at Beripara area around 11:15am on Thursday, said Rajshahi Metropolitan Police (RMP) Commissioner Anisur Rahman.

Chand at a BNP rally on Friday said that the Awami League president and prime minister would be sent to ‘graveyard’.

‘We would do everything needed to force her to resign from power, and there would be no 27-point or 10-point demand. The only demand is to send Sheikh Hasina to grave,’ added Chand.

A video of the threat went viral on social media, triggering a storm of protests among Awami League leaders and supporters.

A bench of Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah and Justice Khandaker Diliruzzaman on Monday afternoon told deputy attorney general Imran Ahmed Bhuiyan to convey the message to Rajshahi police superintendent that it was the duty of the police to arrest an accused person.

The ruling Awami League activists on the day held demonstrations across the country protesting at the death threat to Sheikh Hasina.

Mizanur Rahman Minu, the adviser to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, has expressed regret over the incident and said: “We have been fighting for democracy. That kind of personal attack was not okay. As he is old, I am sorry on his behalf.”