Staff Reporter:
Former president of the National Press Club and the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ), senior journalist Shawkat Mahmud, was detained on Sunday from in front of his residence in the capital. Members of the Detective Branch (DB) of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police picked him up in the afternoon, according to family sources.
Confirming the detention, Muhammad Talebur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner of the DMP’s Media and Public Relations Division, told media that Shawkat Mahmud had been taken into custody by the DB. He added that further details-including the exact location from where he was detained and the case under which he was arrested-would be disclosed soon.
Shawkat Mahmud, a well-known figure in the country’s media and political landscape, has long been active in both journalism and national politics. Beyond leading the National Press Club and BFUJ, he became prominently associated with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) over the last two decades. He served as a vice-chairman of the BNP and was known for his close ties to the party’s senior leadership. He had been detained several times during political unrest in the past, often after taking public positions critical of government actions. His press briefings and media statements frequently placed him at the forefront of the party’s intellectual and communication strategies.
In April this year, Shawkat Mahmud made headlines again when a new political platform, Janata Party Bangladesh, was launched. Renowned film actor Ilias Kanchan was announced as the party chairman, while Mahmud took on the role of secretary general. The new party declared its intent to present an alternative political voice focusing on governance reforms and citizens’ rights.
His sudden detention comes at a time when the Janata Party Bangladesh is still in its organizational phase, raising questions about the implications for the party’s activities and Mahmud’s political future.
