The Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has reported the arrest of Mohammad Sarwar Alam, an assistant programmer at Bangabhaban, in connection with the hacking of the X (formerly Twitter) account of Dr. Shafiqur Rahman, the Amir of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami.
The announcement was made during a press briefing held at the DMP Media Centre on Minto Road in Dhaka on Wednesday night by DMP Additional Commissioner (DB) Shafiqul Islam.
According to Shafiqul Islam, the hacking incident prompted the Jamaat-e-Islami leadership to lodge a General Diary (GD) at Hatirjheel Police Station. The DB’s Cyber Unit was subsequently tasked with investigating the case. Following initial inquiries, Sarwar Alam was summoned to the DB office from Motijheel for questioning. A formal case has now been registered at Hatirjheel Police Station, where he was taken into custody.
The DB chief added that electronic devices, including mobile phones and computer hard drives, were seized from the suspect. “To ensure a transparent and impartial investigation, all seized materials will undergo forensic examination,” he said, emphasising that the DB is conducting the probe professionally and with full diligence.
Shafiqul Islam urged the public not to spread misinformation on social media and to cooperate with the police to facilitate a fair investigation.
When asked whether the Bangabhaban official was directly involved in the hacking, the DB chief responded: “It is premature to draw any conclusions until the forensic reports and investigation are complete. All necessary measures will be taken to ascertain the truth.”
Earlier, on Tuesday night (3 February), the DB conducted an operation at the government quarters located east of the Razarbagh Police Lines in Dhaka, where Sarwar Alam was apprehended.
The case drew public attention after a screenshot of a post from Dr. Shafiqur Rahman’s X account went viral on social media last Saturday. The post, which contained objectionable remarks regarding working women, was quickly removed from the account. Jamaat-e-Islami subsequently issued a statement asserting that the post had been published due to a cyberattack and that false statements had been circulated in the Amir’s name.
Key Case Timeline:
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 3 Feb 2026 | DB conducts operation and arrests Mohammad Sarwar Alam in Razarbagh |
| 4 Feb 2026 | DMP DB announces arrest at Minto Road press briefing |
| 27 Jan 2026 | Controversial post appears on X account of Jamaat-e-Islami Amir |
| 27 Jan 2026 | Post removed after public circulation |
| Post-Incident | Jamaat-e-Islami issues statement on cyberattack |
The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities emphasising a professional and thorough approach to determine the full extent of the cyberattack and the involvement of any individuals within Bangabhaban.