We were forcibly detained, didn’t voluntarily issue movement withdrawal statement
The six key organisers of the quota reform movement today said they did not voluntarily issue the statement to withdraw their movement while they were forcibly detained by the detective branch of police.
"Since July 19, the coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement have been missing, arrested, tortured and harassed mainly to disperse the movement and leadership. Subsequently, six coordinators were forcibly detained in DB custody for seven days in the name of 'security'. Although the Home Minister and the DB chief talked about security, we were kept in DB custody to isolate us from the movement," the statement said.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The statement was signed by Nahid Islam, Sarjis Alam, Hasnat Abdullah, Asif Mahmud, Nusrat Tabassum, and Abu Baker Majumdar.
The six were released from DB custody around noon yesterday.
"We did not voluntarily give the video message about the withdrawal of the movement broadcast from the DB office. No decision on the anti-discrimination student movement can come from the DB office. No decision will be taken as final without the participation of all coordinators and agitating students across the country.
They said in the statement that they were forced to sit on the dining table and then the video message was forcibly filmed.
"It was assured that we would be released, so our families were called and made to sit for 13 hours and false statements were made to the media. When our teachers came to meet us, they were not allowed to."
They said they sought safety and assurances that they would not be victims of enforced disappearances, arrested or tortured.
"We wanted to guarantee our right to expression. But we were kept in DB custody unconstitutionally and illegally. At first, we were told about security, but later they talked about the court, [that] we cannot be released without a court order."
"No one can be safe in the custody of those who shoot and kill unarmed students and citizens. We don't want security for this farce from the government, we want justice for the murder of our brothers and sisters.
"Nahid Islam, Asif Mahmud and Abu Baker started a hunger strike at the DB office on July 30 in protest of the unjust arrest of the coordinators, arrest and torture of the students across the country. Later, Sarjis Alam, Hasnat Abdullah and Nusrat Tabassum also started a hunger strike."
They said that the hunger strike was kept secret from the family and the media. After over 32 hours of hunger strike, it was called off when the DB chief gave the final decision to free the six coordinators.
"In the last seven days, harassment, torture and a drama were staged with us and our families in the DB office. We strongly condemn and protest it," they said.
"We were unjustly detained on the orders of the home minister. The government has put the law enforcers face to face with the students and citizens. The government is still continuing its repression on the students and continuing to arrest and torture of the protesting students in the country and obstruct peaceful programmes.
"The anti-discrimination student movement will continue demanding the trial of the killing of students and citizens and the release of the detained innocent people. Students and citizens across the country will be urged to take to the streets defying the government's propaganda and repression. The blood of the martyrs will not go in vain," the statement ended.
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