Didn't announce withdrawal of movement voluntarily: Six coordinators in joint statement
The six coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement have said that the announcement of withdrawing the movement they had given in a video message on 28 July night in custody of Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Detective Branch (DB) was not voluntary.
The six coordinators said this in a joint statement today, Friday. Coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement Nahid Islam, Sarjis Alam, Hasnat Abdullah, Asif Mahmud, Abu Baker Mazumder and Nusrat Tabassum sent this statement to the media at 11:22 am this morning. When contacted after about ten minutes, Sarjis Alam and Abu Baker confirmed Prothom Alo about issuing the statement.
The six coordinators were released from DB custody around 1:30 pm yesterday, Thursday. They were sent home from the DB headquarters in two black vehicles. After returning to their families, they gave the joint statement today. At the time they said that the programmes of the movement will continue with the demand of justice for the killing of students and public as well as release of the detained people who are innocent.
This joint statement titled ‘Statement of Students against Discrimination movement coordinators detained at DB headquarters’ stated that the DB on 26 July forcefully picked up three coordinators, Nahid Islam, Asif Mahmud and Abu Baker Mazumder from Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital in Dhaka and took them to their headquarters on Minto Road. Nahid and Asif were undergoing treatment at the hospital.
On the next day, 27 July, Sarjis and Hasnat were also forcefully picked up from Science Lab area and taken to the DB headquarters. Meanwhile, Nusrat was picked up and taken to the DB headquarters by breaking into her residence in early hours of 28 July.
The statement also mentioned that the coordinators are facing enforced disappearance, arrest, torture and harassment from 19 July basically as part of an attempt to foil the movement and to disband the leadership. In continuation of that, the six coordinators were forcefully detained at the DB headquarters in the name of protection.
Though the home minister and the DB chief spoke of their safety, they were kept in custody just to isolate them from the movement. They had asked for assurance of protection from forced disappearance, arrest and repression. They had asked for assurance of their right to expression. But, they were unconstitutionally and unlawfully detained under DB custody.
While safety was mentioned at first, there was mention of the court later. They were told that they cannot be released without court’s order. Nobody can be safe in the custody of those who shoot and kill unarmed students and citizens. They don’t want such farcical protection from the government. They want justice for the killing of their brothers and sisters.
The joint statement mentioned that the six coordinators did not voluntarily give the statement in the video message regarding the announcement of the movement’s withdrawal published from the DB headquarters. It stated that no decision of the anti-discrimination student movement can come from the DB headquarters. And, no decision will be taken without the participation of all the coordinators and protesting students from around the country.
At the DB headquarters, they were forced to sit at the dining table and videotaped. Their families were brought in with the promise of them being released and were kept waiting for 13 hours. They were made to give the false statement in the media. When their teachers came to see them, they were not allowed to meet.
While detained inside DB headquarters, coordinator Nahid, Asif and Abu Baker went on a hunger strike from the night of 30 July in protest of coordinators being detained illegally and students being arrested and tortured throughout the country. As soon as they heard the news, Sarjis, Hasnat and Nusrat also joined in.
Their statement also mentioned that the news of their hunger strike was kept secret from their families and the media. After continuing with their hunger strike for more than 32 hours, the DB chief gave the final decision to release the six coordinators. Only then, they broke their hunger strike.
Afterwards, they were released in charge of their families at 1:30 pm on 1 August. They and their families have faced various harassment, torture and drama at the DB headquarters. They strongly condemn and protest it. They were unlawfully detained on the orders of the home minister.
The government has positioned the law enforcement agencies in confrontation with the students and citizens. The government still continues their suppressive policy against the students. They are arresting and torturing the protesting students all over the country. Peaceful programmes are being obstructed.
The anti-discrimination student movement will continue their programmes with the demand of justice for the killings of students and citizens as well as release of the innocent people who have been detained. The coordinators in the statement urged students and citizens all over the country to come down on the streets defying the government’s propaganda and repression.