Imran H Sarker detained

Elite force Rapid Action Battalion aka RAB detained Ganajagaran Mancha spokesperson Imran H Sarker when he was attending a programme in Shahbagh Square Wednesday.

Witnesses said a group of plainclothes members of RAB picked up Imran and pushed him into a microbus earmarked as a vehicle of RAB-3.

RAB said it has detained Imran on charge of holding an unauthorised rally there.

Ganajagaran Mancha, a platform of secular youths who had organised a mammoth rally at Shahbagh Square primarily seeking capital punishment for ‘war criminals’ in 2013, was scheduled to hold a rally at Shahbagh Square protesting against the extra-judicial killings in the ongoing anti-narcotic drive.

Plainclothes members of Rapid Action Battalion aka RAB detains Ganajagaran Mancha Imran H Sarker at Shahbagh on Wednesday. Photo: Syful Islam
Plainclothes members of Rapid Action Battalion aka RAB detains Ganajagaran Mancha Imran H Sarker at Shahbagh on Wednesday. Photo: Syful Islam

With the killing of two people early Wednesday, the number of those killed has risen to at least 137, during the anti-narcotics drives across the country in the past 24 days.

Witnesses said a group of eight to nine men picked up Imran into a microbus immediately after he joined the rally in front of the National Museum around 4:30pm, but they faced obstacles from his fellow activists, leading to a scuffle between the activists and plainclothes men.

In order to rein in the situation, the plainclothes men immediately put up placards inscribing the name of RAB in the front side of the microbuses which were parked nearby.

Other uniformed RAB members appeared in the scene as well and started charging batons on the activists.

An activist named Dipak Shil sustained injuries in the baton charge.

Over 50 members of police were present on the spot when the incident took place.

A scuffle between Ganajagaran Mancha activists and lawmen ensues when the law men pick up Mancha spokesperson Imran H Sarker. Photo: Syful Islam
A scuffle between Ganajagaran Mancha activists and lawmen ensues when the law men pick up Mancha spokesperson Imran H Sarker. Photo: Syful Islam

When contacted, Shahbagh police station officer-in-charge Abul Hasan said Imran had no permission to hold a rally there.

“There is no case against Imran with my police station. RAB knows better about Imran’s detention,” said the OC.

Asked why Imran was detained, RAB-3 commanding officer lieutenant colonel Md Emranul Hasan told Prothom Alo, “Imran was arrested as his rally had no permission. He had done the same thing in the past and he was warned for that as well.”

The RAB official said they would brief the media about Imran’s detention anytime later.

A Dhaka court had issued an arrest warrant against Imran on 26 October 2017 on charge of skipping a hearing in a defamation suit filed for making derogatory remarks about prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

He, however, secured the bail in the case in November last.