Anti-discrimination leader arrested in Cumilla, protesters block highway

Police have arrested Shakib Hossain (Rabbi), a leader of the anti-discrimination student movement, in connection with the killing of Sultan Mia, who was shot dead during the 2024 mass uprising in Gouripur Bazar under Daudkandi upazila of Cumilla. The court has since sent him to jail.

In protest against the arrest, leaders and activists of the anti-discrimination student movement blocked the Dhaka–Chattogram highway for one hour from 11:00 am on Tuesday.

They took position at the Bishwa road area of Daudkandi, causing severe traffic congestion stretching five kilometres from Rajarhat to the Meghna-Gomti Bridge.

The protesters later withdrew the programme after receiving assurances from the army and the police.

Sultan Mia, a CNG-run auto-rickshaw driver who died during the mass uprising, was from Sholakandi village in Titas upazila. He died after being shot at Gouripur Bazar on 5 August 2024.

On 30 June 2025, his wife, Rehena Begum, filed a murder case at Daudkandi model police station. Shakib Hossain was not named as an accused in the case.

However, police stated that their investigation found evidence of his involvement in the killing.

Police also arrested Shakib Hossain, 24, along with his brother Nabi Hossain. They are sons of Zahir Hossain from Zearkandi village in Titas upazila.

Shakib serves as the spokesperson of the Daudkandi upazila unit of the anti-discrimination student movement.

Police arrested the two brothers from their residence in Gouripur bazar on Thursday night and produced them before the court the following Friday, which subsequently sent them to jail.

Shakib’s elder brother, Zahidul Islam, said, “Shakib risked his life to take part in the July movement. My younger brother has been falsely implicated without any fault. Someone has influenced the police with money to include my two brothers as accused in the case. Their names were not in the FIR of Sultan Mia’s murder case. Now the police say they are accused based on investigation findings. Is this the democracy of the country?”

Regarding the matter, the investigating officer of the case, Inspector Mohammad Jahangir Alam, in charge of Gouripur police investigation, told Prothom Alo, “While investigating the case, we found the names of July fighter Shakib Hossain and his elder brother Nabi Hossain. They were involved in this killing. There are others involved as well. Along with the two brothers, we have arrested another accused identified through investigation and sent them to jail.”

Atiqul Islam (Shanto), convener of the Daudkandi upazila unit of the anti-discrimination student movement, said, “We want to know why July fighter Shakib was picked up from his home at midnight without any notice or warrant, in a cinematic manner. We want a clear explanation as to whose order this was carried out under. If there is any attempt to suppress the incident through manipulation, the protest will intensify further, Insha’Allah.”