Police took Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury, former information adviser to ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and chairman of private television channel DBC News, into custody from the channel’s office in Dhaka’s Mohakhali on Wednesday.
Rajib Ghosh, DBC’s chief crime reporter, was also taken to the Detective Branch (DB) office during the incident.
Additional Commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) and head of its Detective Branch, Md Shafiqul Islam, said Chowdhury had not been arrested but was taken in for questioning following an “undesirable situation”.
He, however, did not elaborate on the circumstances that led to the incident.
DMP’s Deputy Commissioner for Public Relations, Akhtar Hossain, said the situation arose over the broadcast of a news report. Both Chowdhury and Ghosh were subsequently taken into DB custody for discussions, he said, adding that they had not been formally arrested.
Chowdhury is also the editor and publisher of The Daily Observer.
Speaking to reporters at the DBC office later in the afternoon, the channel’s Assignment Editor, Muktadir Anik, said Chowdhury was taken away by DB personnel while leaving the office.
“We are not clear about why he was taken. We can only speculate that it might be related to a case from the time of the July Revolution. We are also trying to find out why he was taken into custody,” Anik said.
Regarding Ghosh, Anik said DB officers had asked him to accompany them for a conversation. He added that Ghosh, who covers crime, had professional contacts with police officials.
Anik said Ghosh was taken from the street, while distinguishing his situation from that of Chowdhury.
Home minister says legal action will be examined
Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said that if Chowdhury had indeed been detained, the authorities must have had specific allegations against him to justify taking legal steps.
“If he has been detained, necessary legal action is being taken because there must be specific allegations against him,” the minister said.
He added that the matter would be examined in accordance with the law.
The minister made the remarks while responding to journalists after an inter-ministerial meeting at the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications Secretariat to review the draft Cyber Security (Amendment) Act 2026.
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