Former minister and leader of the now-banned Awami League, Dipu Moni, was produced before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court in Dhaka on Monday (October 6). She appeared wearing a helmet, bulletproof jacket, and mask.
The prosecution sought a 10-day remand, while her lawyers opposed it, arguing that she was seriously ill and in need of immediate medical treatment. Lawyer Gazi Faisal stated, “She was supposed to be taken to the hospital today, but instead she was brought to court, and the police are seeking remand.”
Speaking directly before the court, Dipu Moni said she had been sick since August and had repeatedly been taken back and forth from jail without proper medical examinations. In frustration, she asked: “Do we have to prove by dying that we are sick?”
She also complained that communication with her lawyers was restricted in prison — in over a year she had been allowed to meet them only three times. She requested permission to consult her legal counsel after hearings, especially as she is facing over 60 cases.
The prosecution, led by Omar Faruk Faruqi, argued that she was receiving treatment under prison regulations and was not as ill as she claimed.
After hearing both sides, the court granted a 4-day remand for Dipu Moni. Following the order, she was taken back to Kashimpur Women’s Prison.