Student leaders 'not arrested,' to be released if out of danger

147 died in violence: Minister

FE Team | Published: July 29, 2024 00:21:25

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan has clarified that the five coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement "have not been arrested," and they would be released once the police deemed them out of danger, reports UNB.
Speaking to journalists at his office in the Secretariat on Sunday, the Home Minister explained the situation regarding the detention of the student leaders.
Five coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement have been taken into police custody. When asked when they would be released to their families, the Home Minister said, "Look, they themselves said they were at risk. One of them told his father that he was in hiding for a special reason. They expressed their concerns about being in danger, so we took them into custody for their safety," he said.
He further elaborated, "We are questioning them about which political parties or individuals may have incited them, leading to the violent turn of the movement. They are providing us with answers."
The Home Minister emphasized, "We have not arrested them. They are in our custody. We are assessing their situation, and if we determine that they are no longer at risk, we will release them. If the police believe they are safe, they will be let go immediately. We have not formally arrested them."
On Friday afternoon, police took Nahid Islam, Asif Mahmud, and Abu Bakar Majumder, key coordinators of the quota reform movement, into custody from Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital in Dhaka. Subsequently, on Saturday, two more coordinators, Sarjis Alam and Hasnat Abdullah, were detained by the Detective Branch (DB) of the police.
He also said one hundred and forty seven people died in violence during quota reform protests.
"147 deaths have so far been reported and police members, Awami League leaders and activists, students and people of different professions were among the deceased," he said talking to reporters.
Further search was underway to determine the death toll. Police were working to determine how many women, men and people of different professions were among the dead, said the minister.
The students' protests demanding reform in government job quota began on July 1. After the students' clashes with police and Chhatra League activists on Dhaka University campus on July 15, violence spread all over the country.