Detective Branch of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police has kept six coordinators of the Students Movement Against Discrimination, a quota reform platform, in its custody for up to four days since Friday despite huge criticism against their confinement.
Of them, Nahid Islam, Asif Mahmud and Abu Baker Mazumdar were picked up by plainclothes officers from Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital Friday afternoon while Nahid and Asif were undergoing treatment and Abu Baker was in the hospital as Asif鈥檚 attendant.
The detectives also picked up two coordinators Sajis Alam and Hasnat聽 Abdullah Saturday afternoon and another coordinator Nusrat Tabassum on Sunday morning.
Earlier in the past week, Nahid, Asif and Abu Baker were picked up reportedly by intelligence members in plainclothes who allegedly tortured them physically and mentally amid curfew and army deployment.
Nahid鈥檚 father told Badrul Islam from 抖阴精品 Tuesday afternoon that his son was kept in DB custody for the past four days without a warrant.
鈥楾he DB office informed us that they would release my son on Sunday night. We went to the DB office and they asked us to come in the morning,鈥� he said, adding that Nahid鈥檚 mother and other family members waited in the DB office for about 12:30am on Tuesday from Monday morning.
He said that DB official finally informed them that they could not release them as a petition was filed with the High Court.
鈥榃e have to wait till the verdict of the court鈥檚 petition,鈥� Badrul said.
Asked why they kept six protest leaders up to four days, DMP joint commissioner for crime Liton Kumer Saha said that they were kept in DB custody over 鈥榮ecurity reasons.
鈥業n other cases, we did not keep anyone arrested here more than 24 hours,鈥� Liton added.
Families of the victims, however, claimed that they did not ask any security from law enforcement agencies.聽
Although DB officials did not allow families to meet protest leaders on Sunday, they had lunch with the DB chief inside the DB office after meeting the coordinators on Monday.
Meanwhile, Tanjim Ahmed Sohel Taj, a former national state minister and son of the country鈥檚 founding prime minister Tajuddin Ahmad, met the DB chief Harun Ur Rashid to meet the coordinators but he had to obtain permission of higher authorities.
The legality of the confinement of the six protest leaders in DB custody was also challenged in the High Court on Monday and after a hearing on Tuesday. As of now, the court set Wednesday as new date for the hearing.聽
Nahid Islam announced the withdrawal of protesters from DB custody, in the presence of five other detained coordinators, Abu Baker Mazumdar, Asif Mahmud, Sarjis Alam, Hasnat Abdullah, and Nusrat Tabassum.
Hours after the announcement came from DB custody, another coordinator Abdul Kader on Sunday late night announced fresh nationwide protest rallies on Monday that marked by detention and intimidation in Dhaka as elsewhere across the country.聽
Kader alleged that Detective Branch forced the coordinators into signing a scripted statement at gunpoint, an allegation that DMP detective branch chief Harun-or-Rashid later denied.
