Local Government Adviser Asif Mahmud Sojib Bhuiyan expresses surprise at the mention of his name in connection with the extortion incident at the Dhaka Gulshan residence of former MP Shammi Ahmed.
Zane Alam Apu, the former joint convener of the Bangladesh Ganotantrik Chhatra Sangha (BAGCHAS), and one of the accused in the case, alleged on a video that Asif was involved with the incident.
When journalists sought a comment from Adviser Asif Mahmud on this matter at the Secretariat on Thursday, he said, "An investigation is ongoing, so it is not appropriate to comment much."
On the accusations, he said, "I knew Zane Alam Apu back in 2022 when I was involved with the Chhatra Odhikar Parishad. I was active in student politics on campus at that time, and he was also part of it. I believe he was on the committee of a combined private university. Since 5 August 2024, I have never met him."
He mentioned that does not remember being in Gulshan on the day Zane claimed to have spoken to him.
"Sometimes work finishes late at night, and by then it is early morning, with no one at home to provide meals. Most of the time, I go to Neela Market at 300 Feet, where very good duck meat is available. I usually have 4-5 people with me. If it is too early and the shop is closed, then we go to the Westin Hotel in Gulshan," he said.
Earlier, Kazi Anisha, wife of former joint convener of the Bangladesh Gonotantrik Chhatra Sangsad Jane Alam Apu, has alleged that her husband was "abducted" and subjected to "horrific physical torture" to extract a "forced false confession" under the leadership of BNP leader Ishraque Hossain.
At a press conference at the National Museum in Shahbagh this morning (14 August), she claimed that Apu was "missing" from around 11:30pm on 31 July until 7:30am on 1 August.
"He was taken away by men on two bikes. The 35-minute video that was released yesterday [13 August] was edited while he was in their custody," she said, adding that Apu was actually arrested at 7:30am from Gopibagh, but his arrest was officially recorded at 11:30am.
Anisha alleged that during the four-hour period between his alleged abduction and official arrest, Apu was "inhumanely tortured."
She further said that the Detective Branch (DB) of the police did not provide any information about Apu, who is also a former co-coordinator of the Students Against Discrimination.
After the media learned of the arrest around 11:30am, Apu was allegedly taken around different areas of Dhaka until midnight, she said. "They did not produce him in court within 24 hours."
Regarding BNP leader Ishraque's involvement, Anisha claimed Apu was held captive and his confession was recorded at Ishraque's house in Gopibagh, where he was arrested. "Some pictures are circulating, and they are from Ishraque's house. There is no doubt here. Ishraque forced Apu to do these things," she alleged.
She further claimed, "Ishraque may have offered legal help in exchange for naming either Adviser Asif or Nahid as the one who made Apu extort money."
BNP leader Ishraque Hossain has not yet responded to the claims at the time of filing this report.
Anisha told reporters that Apu gave a statement under Section 164 after his four-day remand on 6 August, but he did not name any individuals. He was produced in court after 3:00pm on 2 August.
"Apu's lawyer said he is a 'wounded warrior' of the July Uprising. He is still undergoing treatment at the National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital, as he has a brain injury. We submitted his medical papers and requested that he not be remanded," she added.
She questioned, "Who made him an extortionist?" noting that "he has no prior record of extortion."
She claimed the entire incident was a plan to suppress the coordinators and leaders of the National Citizen Party (NCP).
"A vested group is after them [NCP] for greater self-interest. Apu was framed for this. He was lured to that house [Awami League lawmaker Shammi Ahmed's house]," she said.
"I would say Apu has become a victim of a media trial. He was taken on a four-day remand to get a name out of him," she asserted, claiming, "During the remand, he was blackmailed by being threatened with having his name included in the case of the murder of two thousand policemen. They also threatened to blackmail him with personal photos and videos of us together. Anyone would agree to confess to anything in this manner."
Before this, in a 35-minute video, Apu gives a "detailed account" of the events related to an alleged extortion case at the residence of former MP Shammi Ahmed in Gulshan.
In the footage, Apu admits, "In the Gulshan extortion case, the person you saw collecting the bag of money was me. From your footage, you have seen that the coordinators were involved in the extortion."
He then raises several questions, stating that before the raid on Shammi's house, he had spoken with Adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuiyain in Gulshan.
He questioned why this information was missing from media reports, why the early morning raid was suppressed, and why there was no mention of law enforcement's presence during the operation. He also claimed that Shammi escaped after being tipped off.
Apu further challenged those who released the two-and-a-half-minute clip to release the full CCTV footage from the previous night, stating, "Let's see who was calling and whose phone was used for Shammi to leave the house."
Apu was arrested by the Dhaka Metropolitan Detective Police (DB) from the Wari area on 1 August.
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