'3 quota protesters picked up'

Three leading students who organised the recent demonstration demanding quota reforms were allegedly picked up by law enforcers.

However, the police claimed that they were called in for discussion.

The three are Dhaka University students Nurullah Noor of English department, Rashed Khan of MBA and Faruk Hossain of Disaster Management department -- all joint convenors of Sadharan Chhatra Odhikar Songrokkhon Parishad (General Students' Rights Protection Council).

Witnesses and the quota protesters said the three were stopped in front of Dhaka Medical College Hospital around 12:45pm when they were going by rickshaw after addressing a press conference. Thet were picked up and taken in a microbus.

Additional commissioner of Dhaka metropolitan police (detectives) Debdas Bhattacharja said the three were called in for discussion and they might have left already.

"We were picked up," Rashed said over phone at around 2:45pm after they were released. He also alleged that his father was taken to the police station.

Salahuddin, a worker at a roadshide food stall, who witnessed the incident, said 7-8 people got down from a microbus and motorcycle, stopped the rickshaw and there was squabble before three rickshaw passengers were pushed into the microbus.

At the press conference they held earlier, the council leaders demanded withdrawal of cases against the demonstrators.

Rashed Khan then said they would file general diary with Shahbagh police station sinice they are scared of their security.

Hundreds of students and young jobseekers led by the parishad demonstrated last week demanding reforms in quota system in public services.

They suspended their demonstration when the prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, announced in parliament on Wednesday that there would be no quota from now on.