8 Rural Electrification Board officials sent to jail in sedition case

A Dhaka court today sent eight officials of the Rural Electrification Board (REB) to jail in a sedition case.

The Investigation Officer (IO) of the case today produced the accused before the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court after ending their remand and applying for jail custody till the end of the investigation.

After hearing both sides, the court's Magistrate Ragib Noor ordered to send them to jail rejecting the bail petitions.

The accused who were sent to jail are – Assistant General Manager (AGM) of Munshiganj Palli Bidyut Samity Rajon Kumar Das, Deputy General Manager (DGM) of Nabinagar-Brahman Baria Palli Bidyut Samity Asaduzzaman Bhuiyan, DGM of Cumilla Dipok Kumar Singh, DGM of Sripur zone of Magura Md Rahat, AGM of Netrakona Monir Hossain, Belal Hossain of Sirajganj Palli Bidyut Samity-2, DGM of Luxmipur Palli Bidyut Samity Ali Hasan Md Ariful Islam and AGM (IT) of Brahman Baria Palli Bidyut Samity SK Sakil hmed.    

Director Admin (Legal Wing) of the REB headquarters Arshad Hossain lodged a sedition case with Khilkhet thana on 17 October under the cyber security act over their alleged involvement in creating anarchy and unrest in the energy sector.

The REB authorities alleged that a section of its officials in connivance with each other and at the instigation of cohorts of the ousted Awami League government hatched a conspiracy to destabilise the emergency service of the power sector since 28 January.

They were also engaged in various destructive and sabotage acts under the supervision of local and foreign vested quarters, the FIR of the case said.

The ill-motive was a part of their conspiracy to destabilise the interim government formed after the student-led mass upsurge in July-August, it added.

Ulterior motive of the subversive activities was to defame the interim government by tarnishing the image of the REB and damage the power sector which is equal to sedition against the country, the FIR said.