Abrar Hussain: A human chain was formed by the families of students detained during the quota reform and road safety demonstrations in front of Jatiya Press Club yesterday.
They demanded release of the students before the coming Eid and urged the prime minister to intervene. Rights activists and civil society members also attended the event, reports The Daily Star.
Tariqul Islam, son of retired Army officer Shafiqul Islam, was arrested in a case filed over vandalism at the VC’s residence on DU campus.
“I don’t know where I should go…. None of the ruling party men I have contacted helped me,” said Shafiqul, who is also a member of Awami League in Cumilla, adding he had also contacted the DU authorities to no avail.
Saleha Begum, mother of arrested quota reform leader Muhammad Rashed Khan, said, “Please release my son before Eid. Let me celebrate the Eid with him.”
Since Rashed was arrested on July 1, she has been travelling from Jhenidah to Dhaka to join public events and demand his release, adding that her son was never against the government.
Rights activist Nur Khan said “arbitrary” detention and arrest of students caused widespread fear. “The nation needs to be free from the fear.”
Eastern University teacher Rezaur Rahman Lenin claimed that around 200 students were picked up and nearly 100 cases filed during the two widespread demonstrations.
Saiful Azam, a final year student of the University of Asia Pacific, said he and several other students of the university were attacked on August 5 while demonstrating on Green Road for road safety. But instead of finding out the attackers, police picked up some of the students that evening and released them later.
Nur Khan, who helped organizing the human chain, said some families of the arrestees did not attend the human chain, fearing reprisal.