Narayanganj police raided the Jai Jai Din office in Karwan Bazar on Monday night, around 11:45 PM, in an attempt to arrest Sayeed Hossain Chowdhury, the president and publisher of the editorial board of the Bengali newspaper.
The raid took place at HRC Bhaban, as confirmed by Narayanganj Superintendent of Police Pratyush Kumar Majumdar. Sayeed, who is the founder of HRC Group, is a suspect in a murder related to the anti-discrimination movement. However, the police were unable to find him at the office.
Sayeed could not be contacted for a statement.
Shafik Rehman, the founding editor of Jai Jai Din, visited the newspaper’s Tejgaon office on December 15 amid political changes in the country, where he was warmly welcomed with flowers. The office was relocated to HRC Bhaban in Karwan Bazar on the same day, and Shafik is planning to launch a new publication, Jai Jai Din Protidin, from the Tejgaon office.
In addition to media ventures, HRC Group has investments in agriculture, tea, real estate, finance, and shipping.
Sayeed, who is also a director at One Bank and a former Dhaka MP, is the brother of Awami League leader Saber Hossain Chowdhury. Their father, Hedayet Hossain Chowdhury, was the founder of Karnaphuli Group.