‘If Yunus wants to turn country into a prison, he can do it’: Anis Alamgir

Journalist Anis Alamgir has told a Dhaka court that the allegation against him, that his “incendiary” statements have endangered “public safety”, is “false” and a “staged drama”.

Saying he would not stop speaking as a journalist, he told the court: “If Chief Advisor Dr Muhammad Yunus wants to turn all of Bangladesh into a prison, then he can do that.”

He was speaking on Monday evening at the hearing of a seven-day remand petition in a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act filed at Uttara West Police Station, in the court of Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Jashita Islam.

A team from the Detective Branch picked him up after 8pm on Sunday, saying they wanted to question him at the DB office.

Around midnight, a man named Arian Ahmed, identified as a member of an organisation called the “July Revolutionary Alliance”, filed a case against Alamgir and three others, accusing them of “conspiring to destabilise the state and inciting a banned organisation”.

The three other accused in the case are actress Meher Afroz Shaon, fashion model Maria Kispotta and television host Imtu Ratish Imtiaz.

On Monday, investigating officer Inspector Muniruzzaman of Uttara West Police Station produced Anis before the court and sought a seven-day remand.

In his petition, he wrote that about a month ago, Anis Alamgir said on a private TV talk show that the Awami League’s “undeclared” leaders have shaken the government. Accused Shaon posted an anti-government comment on the 26th of November this year from her verified Facebook account, mocking the recovery of cash from lockers. She said it was a complete "telesmati karbar" [magical swindle].

“Accused Imtu Ratish Imtiaz mocked the locker recovery on his verified Facebook ID, calling it ‘this is science’. In addition, these four accused, together with others, have at various times used their verified Facebook pages and YouTube channels to post and make different inciting statements, endangering public safety, attempting to have other persons killed, and conspiring and abetting others to commit murder and grievous assault.”

The petition asked the court to place Anis on seven days’ remand to find out whether anyone else was involved.

Dhaka Metropolitan Public Prosecutor (PP) Omar Faruk Faruki argued in favour of remand on behalf of the state.

“He cannot speak like this on a talk show,” the PP said. “In the name of speaking on talk shows, he cannot demean the government. He targets individuals and makes comments on talk shows.

“He may speak on a talk show, but by inciting the banned Awami League he is goading people into terrorist activities.”

Defence lawyer Nazneen Akhter opposed the remand petition and applied for bail.

She told the court, “The chief advisor said people would be free to speak their minds. Anis Alamgir is the journalist who covered the Iraq war.

“he has never compromised with anyone. He is a teacher, a writer. He writes books. He has been a fierce critic of the previous fascist government. He is not a harmful person. I strongly oppose the remand prayer.”

Dhaka Metropolitan Public Prosecutor (PP) Omar Faruq Faruqi argued in favour of remand on behalf of the state.

"He cannot speak like this on a talk show,” the PP said. “In the name of speaking on talk shows, he cannot demean the government. He targets individuals and makes comments on talk shows.

“He may speak on a talk show, but by inciting the banned Awami League he is goading people into terrorist activities.”

Defence lawyer Nazneen Akhter opposed the remand petition and applied for bail.

She told the court, “The chief advisor said people would be free to speak their minds. Anis Alamgir is the journalist who covered the Iraq war. He has never compromised with anyone. He is a teacher, a writer. He writes books. He has been a fierce critic of the previous fascist government. He is not a harmful person. I strongly oppose the remand prayer.”

Anis Alamgir then sought the court’s permission to speak.

“I am a journalist,” he said. “I covered the war in Iraq. Before that I covered the war in Afghanistan. The Taliban detained me at that time. Since then, my fear of death has gone.

“For two decades I have been doing journalism with courage. I spoke during Khaleda Zia’s time, I spoke during the Awami League’s time. I have spoken about [Yunus] and I will continue to speak. Whoever comes next, I will keep speaking in the same way.”

He continued: “Now perhaps they want to make me their own submissive broker, their tout. They want to feed me sweets and bread. There is no such history in my life of taking sweets and bread [from power].

“I have only one Facebook account, verified. They have brought allegations over what I wrote on Facebook… Yes, I said those things. But look at the context in which I said them.

“These were just words. When Dhanmondi 32 was attacked, I also said that if this cycle of vengeance continues, the country will be harmed. I spoke in the country’s interest.

“I also gave a warning over the lockdown staged by Awami League supporters, saying if they can still do this now, what will happen in future? I have spoken against fugitive Awami League leaders too. Where is the wrong in that?”

Anis said: “In July [last year] I demanded Sheikh Hasina’s resignation. Now I have to hear people singing the July song all over again. And as for those they say I have links with, I say I have no connection with anyone.

“Apart from Meher Afroz Shaon I have no contact with anyone. And even with Shaon, I only met her once at a cultural programme a few years ago.”

Challenging the public prosecutor’s remarks, he said: “Everything he has alleged is false. I have already replied to these points. I said something in response to something else. These are just words.

“This is all a staged drama. Two YouTubers, one in Paris, another in New York... are working from abroad to destabilise the country. To say that I want to sabotage the election is unreasonable. Those who are in the ‘view business’ want to sabotage the election.”

He added: “These two individuals have spoken against me to a particular political party. They have threatened to ‘teach me a lesson’. They have influenced that party to complain about me to the chief advisor. I have been branded a terrorist.”

At the end of the hearing, the court granted police five days’ remand to interrogate the journalist.

According to the case details, “As a result of the anti-discrimination movement, fascist Sheikh Hasina fled the country. But her followers have been lying low inside the country under various guises, conspiring to commit anti-state crimes in order to destabilise the country and destroy the state’s infrastructure.”