Release all arrestees immediately: eminent citizens

All arrestees and detainees, especially students, detained over the quota reform movement must be released immediately, eminent citizens demanded today.

At a human chain in front of the office of the DB on Minto Road, they noted that despite the release of six quota reform movement coordinators, many people, including students, remain in police custody without justice.

"The people of Bangladesh pay taxes. And the police shot people, including students, with guns and bullets bought with taxpayers' money," said Debapriya Bhattacharya, a distinguished fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD).

"I believe that to the world, Bangladesh's image wasn't tarnished, but the government's was. Students must be released from police custody immediately.

"We want the United Nations to investigate the killings," Debapriya continued. He also emphasised that educational institutions must be reopened, and the internet fully restored.

The human chain was initially planned to call for the release of the six quota protest organisers who were in DB custody for the last one week. The six organisers were released around noon today, before the human chain.

Dhaka University law department Professor Asif Nazrul said, "We clearly want to say we want justice for the killings. We want those behind the orders for these killings to be brought to book."

Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of Transparency International Bangladesh, accused government agencies, including law enforcement, of protecting the government through lies and fraudulence.

Shaheen Anam, executive director of Manusher Jonno Foundation (MJF), mentioned the arrest of a 16-year-old boy for the killing of Abu Sayed in Rangpur and asked, "Didn't you see how Abu Sayed was killed?

"Students have been picked up in the dead of night. There is a pervasive fear. Mothers can't sleep and keep looking through windows," she said.

She demanded the release of all arrestees.

Brac University teacher Saimum Reza Talukder mentioned that Jahangirnagar University movement coordinator Arif Sohel was arrested for an arson attack on Setu Bhaban in the capital, even though he was leading a protest at the university.

"Students have been picked up from many places in such a manner," he said.

Syeda Rizwana Hasan, chief executive of the Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association, urged law enforcers to serve as police of Bangladesh, not as part of the Awami League.

Human rights activists, including Farida Akhter, Shireen Huq, Nur Khan Liton, ALRD Executive Director Shamsul Haque, DU Mass Communication and Journalism Professor Gitiara Nasreen, JU Anthropology Professors Mirza Taslima Sultana and Sayeed Ferdous, and DU Sociology Department Associate Professor Samina Lutfha, were also present.

Rushad Faridi, assistant professor of Department of Economics at DU, announced their next protest rally "Droho Jatra" to be held tomorrow in front of the Press Club at 3:00pm.

They called upon people of all sections to join the protest rally.