Staff Reporter :
Families of the students arrested during quota reform movement and safe road agitation formed a human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club on Friday demanding immediate release of the students.
Several human rights activists expressed their solidarity attending the human chain at 10:30am under the banner of “Afflicted Families” to press home their demands. “These arrests are tantamount to environment of fear, from which our nation need to be freed,” said noted human rights activist Nur Khan.
“The way students are dragged into law enforcers’ custody cannot be the sign of a civilised society,” said Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, founder of the Gonoshasthaya Kendra.
“As this government has not come to the power through popular mandate, they fear any kind of movement,” said Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Convener of Nagorik Oikya.
Saleha Begum, mother of Rashed Khan, a Joint Convener of the quota reform movement, broke into tears while speaking at the human chain programme claiming her son to be innocent.
Rashed Khan was arrested on June 1 from Mirpur Bhashantek on two charges. One is under the ICT Act and another for allegedly attacking the DU VC’s house.
Addressing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as a mother, she urged, ‘Mother, please release my son. Please let him continue his study. He has not done anything wrong. He is innocent.’
Shafiqul Islam,father of another arrested DU student and quota movement leader Tarikul Islam, demanded investigation into the allegations brought against his son and thus prove his guilt, if any.
On July 2, Tarikul Islam was shown arrested in the case filed over vandalising the DU VC’s house.
Dipu, a student of Asia Pacific University, said that a group of miscreants attacked the students when they peacefully joined the safe road movement and injured many students.
But no action was taken against the attackers while the protestors were arrested who fell victims to attack during the protest, he alleged.
The human rights activists also demanded immediate release of Drik gallery managing director and photographer Shahidul Alam and actress Nawshaba.
