Iqbal Sobhan still at DB office

Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's information advisor and a journalist leader, has been at the Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Detective Branch (DB) office since his detention.

As of 9:30 pm on Wednesday, when this report was filed, Iqbal Sobhan was still at the DB office. Several DMP officials confirmed this information to Agamir Somoy on condition of anonymity.

Earlier, around 3:30 pm, he was taken to the DB office from the office of the private television channel DBC. However, the police did not clarify the reason.

Later, the DMP stated that Iqbal Sobhan was taken to the DB office on Minto Road for questioning. DBC's senior reporter and crime chief Rajib Ghosh was also taken along with him.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Deputy Commissioner Md. Akhtar Hossain was contacted for comment. He said, "Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury has been brought to the DB for questioning regarding an untoward incident."

When asked whether he had been detained or arrested, he said, "He has not been detained or arrested yet. The DB is questioning him about an untoward incident."

DMP Additional Commissioner (Detective) Md. Shafiqul Islam said, "Iqbal Sobhan had gone to the DBC office. A mob-like situation was created there. Later, he was taken from there to the DB office for questioning. Details will be provided after the interrogation is completed."

What journalists working at DBC are saying

When asked how and when Iqbal Sobhan was detained, Muktadir Anik, assignment editor of DBC News, said, "We came to know long after Iqbal Sobhan was taken away."

"When he (Iqbal Sobhan) was leaving the office, the DB came. The DB came and took him away for questioning. We still do not know clearly why he was taken."

Muktadir Anik's assumption is, "It may also be related to the cases from the time of the July Revolution."

He added, "DBC is trying to find out why he was detained. However, nothing has been known so far."
A journalist working at DBC, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury is a member of DBC's chairman board. There is another BNP-leaning person on that board. Due to a dispute with him, a heated situation was created at the DBC office today. Later, the DB detained Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury and took him to the DB."

Iqbal Sobhan is a former chairman of DBC News. The organization's office is in Mohakhali, Dhaka. Employees of the organization said that along with Iqbal Sobhan, DBC's special correspondent Rajib Ghosh was also taken away from there by people identifying themselves as detective police.

What the Home Minister said

Journalists had asked Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed about the matter at the Secretariat. He said, "If he has been detained, necessary legal action is being taken because there are specific allegations against him. The matter will be investigated in accordance with the law."

In July 2013, Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, former editor of The Bangladesh Observer, was appointed as Sheikh Hasina's information advisor. Earlier, in the 2008 national parliamentary election, he contested with an Awami League nomination in Feni Sadar and was defeated.

During his long journalistic career, Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury has played important roles in leading the country's various journalist organizations. He has led the Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) and the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ). He also served as chairman of the board of directors of the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS).