Journalist couple Farzana Rupa, Shakil Ahmed remanded for 5 days

A court has remanded journalist couple Farzana Rupa and Shakil Ahmed for five days for questioning in police custody over the murder of Anwar Hossain Patwary, who was shot dead in the Gol Chattar area under Mirpur Thana during the Anti-discrimination Student Movement protests.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate GM Farhan Ishtiaque approved the remand order on Monday, confirmed Public Prosecutor Omar Faruq Faruqi.

The two were produced in court for the hearing and CID Inspector Nasir Uddin Sarkar, the investigating officer in the case, petitioned for a five-day remand. Faruqi, representing the state, moved for the motion. The court then made its decision.

Anwar was shot dead in Mirpur on Aug 5, the day the Awami League government fell. His father, Al Amin Patwary, filed a murder case with the Mirpur Model Police Station.

Farzana and Shakil, who are married, are the former principal correspondent and head of news at Ekattor Television.

Ekattor Media Limited fired the two of them on Aug 8. Coordinators of the student movement that toppled the Awami League sent a letter to the Jatiya Press Club on Aug 10, naming 50 journalists who had allegedly supported the police and the former government in committing “crimes against humanity” against students.

The couple were taken into custody by law enforcers from Dhaka’s Shahjalal International Airport on Aug 21

Since then, they have been arrested in connection with several cases over the violence during the July and August mass uprising. They have also faced several rounds of questioning over these cases.