Dhaka: Eighteen Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists, who were picked up on Friday from Merul Badda in Dhaka on Friday, have been sent to police custody to be questioned in connection with a case filed under Special Powers Act for holding a ‘secret meeting’ to carry out terrorist attacks in Dhaka.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Sajjadur Rahman on Saturday sent all of the accused to police custody to be questioned over their involvement in subversive and terrorist activities.

Among them, Badda Jamaat-e-Islami president Fakhruddin Mohammad Kefayetullah and Mohammad Shamim were sent for three days and others for two days.

The others are Jamal Uddin Sarkar, Iqbal Hossain, Golam Sarkar, Mahmudur Rahman, Abdus Sattar, Abdul Haque, Khandakar Abdul Baten, Abdul Hannan, Jamal Uddin Jaman, Hafizur Rahman, Khalilur Rahman, Nazimuddin, Rafiqul Islam, Saidur Rahman, Ahsanullah and Mikai Hossain.

The magistrate gave the order after Badda police sub-inspector Nur Muhammad, also the investigation officer of the case, placed the arrested before the court seeking 10 days to quiz them.

Earlier, police arrested the eighteen persons, including the house owner Billal Hossain, from Islamic International School and College housed at 25/8 DIT Housing Project, Badda, in Dhaka.

Following the arrest Badda Police Station officer-in-charge MA Jalil said the arrested persons were involved in subversive activities.

Police said the institute has two branches one in Gulshan and one in Badda. Shamsunnahar Nizami, widow of war crimes convict Motiur Rahman Nizami, is the principal of the institution and Kefayetullah is the vice-principal of the Badda branch.

Shamsunnahar is also the general secretary of the women’s wing of Jamaat-e-Islami.