Dhaka Papers’ Response to Asif Adnan’s Formal Protest

On August 10, 2026, Dhaka Papers published an investigative report titled “Extremism Behind Publications: Al-Qaeda Leaders’ Books Being Sold Openly.” The report examined books published by several Dhaka publishing houses, along with the backgrounds and ideological writings of their authors.

On August 13, Asif Adnan, proprietor of Ilmhouse Publication, submitted a formal protest against the report and an accompanying video. He called the report false, baseless, and misleading. He claimed that Dhaka Papers had concealed relevant legal developments, falsely linked him to a TTP-related case, wrongly reported that he was arrested on July 5, 2025, and implied that his publishing house had published illegal books.

He also objected to not being contacted before publication and demanded a retraction and an apology. Dhaka Papers has reviewed these claims against the published report and public records. Several assertions in the protest do not reflect what the report actually said.

The 2014 Arrest

Asif Adnan states that the 2014 case against him was politically motivated and was later quashed by the High Court Division. He argues that reporting his arrest without mentioning the court’s subsequent decision created a misleading impression of guilt.

Dhaka Papers reported the arrest as a historical fact. On September 24, 2014, the Detective Branch arrested Asif Adnan over alleged links to the Ansarullah Bangla Team. The report cited police allegations that he planned to travel to Syria through Turkey to join jihad. It also noted that the High Court granted him bail on November 10, 2014.

The report did not claim that those allegations were proved in court. An arrest is a matter of public record, not a conviction.

The subsequent quashing of the case is relevant legal context. Dhaka Papers accepts that this should have been included to give readers the full outcome of the case. That omission, however, does not make the reported fact of his arrest false.

The July 2025 Case

The central dispute in Asif Adnan’s protest concerns the July 2025 case. He claims that Dhaka Papers falsely reported that he was arrested on July 5, 2025.

The published report made no such claim.

It stated:

“In July 2025, his name appeared in a case filed over alleged links to TTP. Reliable sources could not confirm his direct involvement in the alleged plot to attack the US embassy. Later, at a press conference, Asif Adnan denied the allegations and described the case as a ‘state drama.”

Contemporary reporting confirms this timeline. On July 5, 2025, the Anti-Terrorism Unit filed a case at Savar Model Police Station naming six individuals, including Asif Adnan, following the July 2 arrest of Md Foysal. The Daily Star reported that the allegations in Foysal’s statement could not be independently verified.

July 5 was the date the case was filed, not the date of an arrest of Asif Adnan.

Dhaka Papers also did not present his involvement in any plot against the US embassy as an established fact. The report expressly said that reliable sources could not confirm his direct involvement and included his public denial.

The Claim of a “Quiet Amendment”

Asif Adnan alleges that information about a July 5 arrest was later altered without notice or apology.

That allegation is not supported by the published report. The report never stated that Asif Adnan was arrested on July 5, 2025. Dhaka Papers therefore cannot retract or apologise for a statement it never made.

Scrutiny of Ilmhouse Publications

Asif Adnan states that neither he nor Ilmhouse has published banned books. He argues that Dhaka Papers had no basis to associate his publishing activities with illegal activity.

Dhaka Papers did not claim that the government had formally banned the books in question.

The report examined specific titles, their authors, and their documented backgrounds:

Ilmhouse published Tawhider Mulniti and Nabi Yusuffer Pathshala by Ahmad Musa Jibril. Dhaka Papers reported that Jibril had been convicted in the United States of fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering, and that researchers later identified him as an influential online religious speaker among foreign fighters in Syria.

Ilmhouse also published Oporiharyo Shariyah by Abdur Rahman Ibn Salih Al-Mahmud. Dhaka Papers reported that the book contains arguments for declaring Muslim heads of state unbelievers and had drawn criticism from Salafi scholars in Saudi Arabia.

The report dealt with the authorship, publication, and ideological content of these books. It did not claim that they were formally proscribed by the authorities.

Prior Contact

Asif Adnan also objects to the fact that Dhaka Papers did not contact him before publication.

Seeking comment from a person facing serious allegations is good journalistic practice. Dhaka Papers accepts that contacting him before publication would have strengthened the report.

His public denial, however, was included in the published article. The question of prior contact is separate from whether the facts reported from official records and public sources are accurate.

Editorial Position

Dhaka Papers stands by the substance of its reporting:

The 2014 arrest is a documented historical fact. The later quashing of the case is also a documented legal development and will be included for completeness.

The July 2025 case was filed, and Asif Adnan was named in it. Dhaka Papers did not report that he was arrested on July 5.

Ilmhouse published the books identified in the report. Examining their authors, backgrounds, and content is a legitimate function of journalism.

Dhaka Papers will correct any demonstrable factual error and provide relevant legal context where an omission is identified. However, it will not retract accurate reporting on the basis of claims that misstate what the report actually said.