The six organizers of the quota reform protests, who have been in the custody of the Detective Branch (DB) of police for several days, are expected to be released soon, according to a senior DB official.
Harun Or Rashid, Additional Commissioner of the DB in Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), informed reporters outside the DB office on Minto Road that discussions with the organizers and their families are ongoing.
“We believe they will soon be reunited with their families,” he said.
When asked about allegations that the organizers were coerced into withdrawing their protest, Harun dismissed these claims as rumors.
“I respectfully request that people refrain from spreading false information. The DB is a place of integrity where no one is forcibly detained, tortured, or coerced into making statements,” he stated.
According to Harun, the six organizers voluntarily withdrew their protest yesterday after all their demands were met. Nahid Islam, a key organizer, along with five other coordinators, made the announcement via a video message distributed to media outlets from the DB office.
In the video, Nahid was seen reading a statement shortly after Harun posted a photo on Facebook showing them sharing a meal with him at the DB office.
However, Abdul Kader, another coordinator of the quota reform protests, rejected the organizers` statement. He announced new protest rallies across the country today, condemning the statement as “scripted” and alleging it was made under duress. Kader emphasized that the protesters remain resolute in their demands.
