Additional Commissioner of the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Harunor Rashid on Sunday requested families not to worry about the coordinators of the quota movement who were taken into DB custody for security reasons.
He said this during a press conference at the DB office on Sunday afternoon.
“We have taken the coordinators into custody for their safety. We assure their families that there is no reason to worry. We are ensuring their security, and their families should remain reassured,” the DB officials said.
He emphasized: “If someone feels unsafe and expresses that they could be harmed at any moment, it is our moral duty to bring them to safety. Questions may arise about why we are focusing on their security. Remember, it was these individuals who were surrounded by a nefarious group aiming to overthrow the democratic government by infiltrating and inciting violence among innocent students.”
Regarding the duration of their custody, Harun said, “We will discuss this with the coordinators and their families.”
When asked if the coordinators are being interrogated, he replied: “Although they are with us for their safety, we have had various discussions with them. We asked who tried to contact them during their peaceful movement at Dhaka University and who incited them. They have provided us with some names and numbers.”
Addressing rumours about mistreatment in DB custody, Harun dismissed such claims, saying: “There are many rumours spreading on Facebook, including false claims about me fleeing the country. There is no reason to believe such rumours. Those spreading these rumours aim to gain views and make money. We have not mistreated those in our custody.”
Regarding the duration of their custody, Harun said: “We will discuss this with the coordinators and their families.”
So far, six coordinators, including Nusrat, have been brought to DB's custody for security reasons.
However, family members of Arif Sohel, another quota reform movement coordinator at Jahangirnagar University unit, claimed that he was allegedly picked up by plainclothes law enforcers in Dhaka early Sunday.
On Friday afternoon, DB officials took three coordinators, Nahid Islam, Asif Mahmud and Abu Baker Majumder, into their custody from the capital's Gonoshasthaya Nagar Hospital.
On Saturday evening, DB officials took custody of two more coordinators, Sarjis Alam and Hasnat Abdullah.
Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud had earlier alleged that they were abducted and tortured.
