Man posing as advisor to US President Joe Biden arrested in Dhaka

Dhaka [Bangladesh]: A man who identified himself as an advisor to US President Joe Biden, was arrested on charges of cheating people with a false identity, reported Dhaka Tribune.

A Dhaka Court on Monday sent Mian Jahidul Islam alias Arefy to jail in a case filed with the Paltan police station.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Ali Haider passed the order after Sub-inspector (SI) Sujanur Rahman who is the investigating officer of the case, produced the accused before the court with a petition to keep him in prison until the investigation ends, Dhaka Tribune reported.

The general registration officer, Sub-Inspector Shah Alam confirmed the same.
Mohiuddin Ahmed, a man from Gopalganj, filed the case with Paltan police station on Sunday night.

Reportedly, Bangladesh Police’s Immigration Services officials detained Mian Jahidul Islam at Dhaka Airport on Sunday, according to Dhaka Tribune.

He was about to fly to Washington via Doha on a connecting flight of Qatar Airways at 5:30 pm, Dhaka Tribune reported citing officials.

Later, he was handed over to the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.
He was handed over to the Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

Meanwhile, the US embassy in Dhaka has sought “consular access” for the detained Mian Jahidul Islam alias Arefy, who identified himself as an advisor to US President Biden and spoke to media from the BNP headquarters.

The US Embassy in Dhaka earlier on Saturday night said that rumours of any movement of the embassy are completely “false and inaccurate”.

An embassy spokesperson also said, “This gentleman does not speak for the US government and is a private individual.”

Earlier on Saturday, Arefy went to the BNP’s central office in Naya Paltan, spoke to reporters and introduced himself as an adviser to US President Joe Biden.

Arefy is a Bangladeshi American, who lives in Maryland, US. However, he was born and raised in Ullapara upazila of Sirajganj and often visits Bangladesh, according to sources, reported Dhaka Tribune.

Following the clash with the police that impeded the BNP’s rally on Saturday, Arefy turned up at the BNP’s central office and assured opposition of Biden’s support to ensure a leadership change in Bangladesh.

According to Dhaka Tribune, Arefy even claimed that Biden was in full favour of the restoration of the caretaker government.

However, a US Embassy spokesperson later on Saturday said that Arefy did not speak for the US government and was a private individual.

A US embassy spokesperson later on Saturday night said, referring to Arefy, that he did not speak for the US government and was a private individual.

Meanwhile, Arefy, during an interrogation by the Detective Branch (DB) of police, claimed that BNP leaders taught him what to say during the press conference held at the party’s central office recently.