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A young man has been arrested over a Facebook comment suggesting a sniper attack on Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, following a post featuring a bus used by the prime minister during his visit to Rajshahi.
The arrested man, identified as Abu Bakkar Siddique, was detained from his residence in the Kachuatil area of Paba upazila in Rajshahi late Wednesday night, according to the Special Response Battalion (SRB). He was later handed over to police.
Lieutenant Colonel Faisal Ishtiaq, commander of SRB-5, confirmed the arrest on Thursday morning.
Gaziuur Rahman, additional deputy commissioner (media) of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police, said the arrest was made with assistance from the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) and the SRB. The suspect is currently in DMP custody.
DMP Additional Police Commissioner (Detective Branch) Md Shafiqul Islam also confirmed the arrest.
According to police, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman arrived at Shah Makhdum Airport in Rajshahi aboard a military aircraft around 3pm on Tuesday. He travelled from the airport to the city on a bus belonging to Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET).
People and party activists standing along both sides of the road greeted the prime minister, who waved back from the moving bus.
He later travelled on the same bus to a rally at the historic Madrasa Ground. After visiting a temple on the occasion of Durga Puja, he returned to Shah Makhdum Airport in the same vehicle.
Meanwhile, a Facebook page named The Beauty of Rajshahi published a photograph of the bus used during the visit, questioning why the prime minister had travelled in a RUET bus instead of a red-and-green bulletproof bus.
In the comments section, an account bearing the name MD Abu Bakar Siddique wrote: “What a great opportunity it was! There was only one thing missing — a sniper.”
The comment went viral on social media, prompting widespread discussion. Police said on Wednesday that they had identified the commenter and were taking steps to bring him under the law.
On Thursday, DMP Additional Police Commissioner Shafiqul Islam said the suspect would be questioned.
Meanwhile, Rajshahi BNP leaders expressed concern over the nature and context of the comment.
Rajshahi Metropolitan BNP President Mamunur Rashid Mamun said such remarks about the prime minister were unacceptable and called for a proper investigation and legal action against those involved.