The investigation into the sensational killing of Jubo Dal leader Arif Sikder has entered a more decisive and intensified phase, following a Dhaka court’s decision to place Khadija Yasmin Bithi, daughter of notorious listed criminal Subrata Bain, on a five-day police remand. Legal observers believe the order could prove pivotal in unravelling the complex web of planning, influence and financing allegedly behind the murder.
On Thursday, 18 December, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Sarah Farzana Haque passed the order after hearing detailed submissions from both the prosecution and the defence. The ruling allows investigators to interrogate Khadija in custody as part of the ongoing probe into the high-profile case that has attracted widespread public and political attention.
Confirming the development, state prosecutor Syed Golam Murtuza Ibne Islam stated that the investigating officer, Detective Branch Inspector Md Mazharul Islam, had initially sought a seven-day remand in connection with the murder case filed at Hatirjheel Police Station. Although a remand hearing had been scheduled earlier in the week, procedural complications arose when the original case documents were not produced before the court, resulting in Khadija being temporarily sent to jail. Once the documentation was made available, the court fixed Thursday as the date for the remand hearing.
During the hearing, the prosecution argued that custodial interrogation was essential to ensure a fair and comprehensive investigation. Defence counsel, meanwhile, sought cancellation of the remand plea and applied for bail. After considering arguments from both sides, the court granted a five-day remand, signalling judicial support for a deeper examination of the allegations.
According to the remand application, Subrata Bain and his daughter are accused of attempting to assert criminal dominance in several areas of the capital, particularly Mogbazar and Hatirjheel, in the period following 5 August 2024. Investigators allege that Arif Sikder was viewed as a rival in their efforts to establish control, and that his killing was the result of direct instigation and planning by both father and daughter. Law enforcement officials claim to have uncovered multiple pieces of preliminary evidence suggesting Khadija’s involvement.
Case records reveal that Arif Sikder served as Assistant Sports Secretary of Ward No. 36 of Dhaka Metropolitan North Jubo Dal. On the night of 19 April, he was shot in front of The Jhilmil Café in the Hatirjheel area. He succumbed to his injuries two days later while undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Following the shooting, Arif’s sister, Rima Akhter, filed a case for attempted murder against Subrata Bain and nine others. After Arif’s death, the case was formally converted into a murder charge. Subrata Bain was arrested earlier this year from Kushtia and has already been interrogated on remand. Khadija Yasmin Bithi was most recently apprehended by the Rapid Action Battalion in Cumilla.
Investigators remain hopeful that the remand will yield crucial information regarding the planning of the crime, sources of funding, and the identities of other individuals allegedly involved in the killing.