Staff Reporter :
The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested five former students of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST).
They were arrested from different parts of the capital for giving financial support to the ongoing students protest demanding the resignation of SUST Vice-chancellor Farid Uddin Ahmed.
Sylhet Metropolitan Police Commissioner Nisharul Arif confirmed the matter to the media on Tuesday. The detainees will be handed over to Jalalabad Police of Sylhet Metropolitan Police.
They were identified as Reza Noor Moin, 31, Habibur Rahman, 26, AFM Nazmul Sakib,32, AKM Maruf Hossain ,26, and Faisal Ahmed ,28. When asked whether financing the movement is a crime, Commissioner Arif said, “We will look into whether there is any hidden story. A criminal organization generally helps people in various ways indirectly. “If anyone causes harm by helping with money, then they will be called guilty,” he said, “We can’t say right now what are the reasons behind support.
Besides, they are also collecting money. They have been working in various ways. Why are they paying for now, it is unknown at this time.
So it will be investigated and legal action will be taken later, he added. “
Earlier, on Monday (January 24th), three former students of SUST were ‘picked up’ by law enforcers from city’s Uttara and Farmgate areas, according to the families of detained persons.
On Monday night, two former students of SUST-Reza Noor Moin and Habibur Rahman-were imprisoned from Dhaka’s Uttara area.
Moin is a former student of SUST’s Architecture Department and Habibur Rahman is a student of CSE Department’s 2012-13 academic year.
Their family members and friends claimed that they were picked up for sending money to the protesters at SUST.
Moin’s wife Takrim, told the media that her husband had been taken away by the members of CID men from Uttara last night. She said they were both alumni of that university.
“My husband is a simple hearted man. If someone tells him, I’m in trouble, lend me money. He’ll pay. Everyone knows that. He did that for emotion,” Takrim said. “But I don’t understand why we are being harassed so much. I think there is a misunderstanding.
We have not committed any crime. Now we can’t understand what we should do, “says Takrim.
Earlier, six accounts that provided financial support to the agitators of SUST have been closed. Agitating students have complained that all accounts have been closed since Monday.
Alumni of the university used to send donations through a total of six accounts of Bank, Bikash, Nagad and Rocket. With this money, the food and related expenses of about three thousand agitating students were met.
Such information was also reported from the Facebook page of the protesters. It is said that for the information of all, the brothers and sisters who were sending financial aid for food and treatment of the protesters have been stopped. From now on, no one will deposit money in these accounts.
Students of the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology on Monday vowed to continue their protests until their demand for the resignation of vice-chancellor Farid Uddin Ahmed was met.
Since 19 January, 24 students have been on a hunger strike demanding the resignation of the university vice-chancellor (VC) Farid Uddin Ahmed.
Before that, students began to demand the resignation of the Provost of the Begum Sirajunnesa Chowdhury Hall Zafrin Ahmed Liza after she allegedly ‘misbehaved’ with a student.
Though she was eventually removed, students have continued their campaign to press for the resignation of the vice-chancellor Farid Uddin Ahmed after police used batons and tear shells to break up a protest.
