Coordinator Nahid picked up and tortured
We could not publish any news on Prothom Alo's online edition since 19 July as internet connection was snapped. As the internet connection has been restored on a limited scale, we would gradually publish important news published on Prothom Alo print edition in last several days.
Md Nahid Islam, one of the leading coordinators of anti-discrimation student movement, was admitted to a city hospital with bruises on different parts of his body.
Nahid’s left thigh, two arms and shoulder had marks of bruises.
Nahid said a group of plainclothes men picked him up from house of one of his friends at on Friday night and tortured him mentally and physically. He discovered himself roadside on Sunday morning. Nahid took a rickshaw to his house first. He was admitted to hospital later.
Meanwhile, Nahid’s parents Momtaz Begum and Badrul Islam waited in front of Detective Branch (DB) office at Mintoo Road for a whole day on Saturday to know whereabouts of their son. Speaking to Prothom Alo, Badrul alleged that DB picked up his son but not admitting his detention.
Nahid Islam told Prothom Alo on Sunday that he was staying at his friend’s house at Khilgaon Nandipara on Friday. Around 8:30pm, some 20-25 plainclothesmen came to that house.
As the people at the house had informed him of the development, Nahid went to the rooftop of the building for safety. One of the visitors inquired about his identity. Those persons looked for his phone, in vain. Later they took him downstairs.
There were three-four heavy vehicles outside the house. Nahid was boarded on one of the vehicles. He was blindfolded. Nahid assumes the vehicle run for 30 to 35 minutes with him. Later he was taken to a room.
Several persons interrogated him inside that room. Nahid did not want to share what was discussed right now and said he would later open up. Blindfolded Nahid heard 4-5 voices at that time.
The interrogators beat him up with iron rods at one point.
“I was physically and mentally tortured. I lost consciousness,” Nahid said. He thinks he was unconscious for around 24 hours. When he regained consciousness at around 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning, Nahid discovered him wayside. Seeing a signboard of Jolshiri, Nahid assumed the area to be Purbachal. He took a rickshaw to Banasree area. Nahid was admitted to Ganasasthya Kendra in the afternoon.
An official of the hospital on condition of anonymity told Prothom Alo that Nahid’s body had bruises marks but he is out of danger.
Nahid said he could contact well with other organisers of the movement duet to internet shutdown and different measures of the government.
Nahid said the organisers made different demands made in recent days. He knows nothing about these demands.
Nahid assumes those who took various initiatives including sitting with the government did to control the situation from their own stance.
“Internet connections must be restored and campuses must be reopened. We have to discuss with all coordinators and students to have a final say,” Nahid added.
He also disassociated the quota reform movement protesters with the arson and vandalism carried out during the protests.
Nahid thinks an anarchic situation was created as the government did not act responsibly, attack the protesters and making instigating comments from different sides. As a result, some vested quarters infiltrated into the protesters and milked on the situation.
He said the student protesters wanted to carry out their movement from a non-political and independent platform but the problem ensued when government tried to confront with the movement politically.
Nahid demaded the campuses reopen soon and sought justice for all killings.
Nahid was accompanied by his parents and wife in the hospital.