DHAKA (The Thursday Times) — Bangladeshi police have filed an espionage case against an Indian national under the Official Secrets Act, accusing him of spying for a foreign intelligence agency under the cover of a garments business, in a case that has revived suspicion in Dhaka of operations by India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).
Rabiul Islam, 44, a resident of the Indian state of West Bengal, was detained by the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch in the early hours of September 22 in Sector 11 of Uttara, in the north of the capital, and formally arrested under Section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, which allows arrest on suspicion.
Detective Branch Inspector Mezba Uddin later filed a case against him at Uttara West police station under the Official Secrets Act. It accuses him of staying in contact with a foreign intelligence agency, passing it sensitive information, and trying to send it photographs of important government installations, restricted areas and sensitive government documents. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Sefatullah placed him on seven days’ remand for questioning; investigators had asked for 10.
According to the case statement, Islam told investigators that he had visited Bangladesh several times over the past 10 to 12 years, mostly on tourist visas and sometimes on business visas. Police say he last entered through the Bhomra land port in Satkhira district on September 14 and stayed until his arrest.
Investigators say the dates of birth on his Indian identity card and driving licence do not match the one in his passport, which gives his place of birth as Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. They also say he gave inconsistent answers under questioning and could not explain why he kept returning to Bangladesh.
Islam denies the allegations. Appearing in court after his arrest, he said he came to Bangladesh often because friends in the garment trade sent him goods to look after. “I have no involvement with RAW,” he told the court.
The case comes at a low point in relations between Dhaka and New Delhi, which have been strained since Sheikh Hasina was ousted as prime minister in August 2024 and fled to India. The allegations against Islam have yet to be tested at trial.
