Civil society gives 24-hr ultimatum to release 6 coordinators
Irate civil society has given a 24-hour ultimatum to release six anti-discrimination student movement coordinators who are under the custody of detective branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
On behalf of the civil society, Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) executive director Iftekharuzzaman at a press conference on Tuesday made this announcement at the Dhaka Reporters Unity.
The press conference was organised under the banner of 'killing, illegal arrest and demand of justice for torture' at the press conference.
Iftekharuzzaman said irate civil society will hold a protest programme in front of DB office if six coordinators are not released by 24 hours.
A 11-point demand on behalf of the civil society was placed at the press conference.
Iftekharuzzaman said irate civil society will hold a protest programme in front of DB office if six coordinators are not released by 24 hours.
The civil society demanded that under the supervision of top experts of the United Nations, an investigation has to be carried out into every incident of killing and the use of arms and force by the law enforcing agencies.
Bangladesh Environment Lawyers Association (BELA) Syeda Rizwana Hasan, professor at the mass communication and journalism department of Dhaka University, Gitiara Nasreen, professor of law department at Dhaka University, Asif Nazrul and human rights activist Shireen Haque, among others, were present.
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, seven coordinators of the quota reform movement were taken to the DB office.
The coordinators are Dhaka University students Nahid Islam, Asif Mahmud, and Abu Baker Majumdar, Hasnat Abdullah and Nusrat Tabassum and Jahangirnagar University student Arif Sohel.
Except Arif Sohel, six other coordinators of the anti-discriminatory student movement under the custody of Dhaka Metropolitan Police's Detective Branch (DB), announced withdrawal of all their programmes in a video message.
Contradicting the six coordinators' announcement from DB custody, several other coordinators sent messages to the media insisting that they will continue their movement until their demands are met.