A Dhaka court has granted seven days’ remand each for six people arrested in a case alleging the creation of forged documents and fraud using the names, identities, seals, signatures and official letterheads of important government figures. Police produced the suspects before the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court on Wednesday. Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Ehsanul Islam approved the remand after the investigating officer sought custody for a proper investigation.

The six suspects are Faruk Hossain, Sakib Khan, Masum Munsi, Mir Touhidul Islam, Bakul Mondal and Rafiqul Islam. The alleged forgery came to police attention following a letter linked to the office of the secretary of the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment. Police said an envelope sent to the ministry secretary used the name and envelope of the Prime Minister’s Office.

According to the case allegations, the envelope contained various documents bearing signatures attributed to the prime minister, ministers, state ministers, the foreign affairs adviser, the principal secretary, the cabinet secretary and other senior officials. After doubts arose over the documents’ authenticity, the matter was sent to the DMP Detective Branch’s Cyber and Special Crime Division. A DB police sub-inspector, Raihanur Rahman, filed the case at Ramna police station on August 5.