SAD blocks Shahbagh demanding release of leader who 'mistakenly threatened police'

A few dozen leaders of Students Against Discrimination (SAD) blocked the Shahbagh intersection for around two hours on Saturday night, after their ultimatum to release a Habiganj leader expired.

The blockade began around 10:15pm, then transitioned into a sit-in programme around 11:50pm amid low participation, and eventually, the leaders left the area around 12:10am on Sunday.

Earlier in the day, police detained SAD's Habiganj unit General Secretary Mahdi Hasan for apparently threatening the police force during a heated debate with an officer ­-- with some controversial remarks he claimed were "uttered out of mistake."

SAD central leaders gave a one-hour ultimatum for Mahdi's unconditional release, and upon seeing the demand unmet, took to the streets.

Vehicular movement came to halt at the Shahbagh intersection due to the blockade. SAD's regional leaders have also laid siege to the Habiganj Sadar Model Police Station.

SAD President Rifat Rashid, Chief Organiser Hasib al Islam, and Spokesperson Synthia Jahin Ayesha, were among the protesters at Shabagh around 11pm.

Rifat Rashid placed two demands before the government: 1) Mahdi must be released unconditionally before dawn and the officer-in-charge he argued with must be removed, 2) an indemnity ordinance must be issued within 24 hours giving legal protection to all the uprising participants for the activities during 1 July-8 August in 2024.

Rifat Rashid also urged political parties to clearly outline their positions in the election manifetoes regarding indemnity for July Uprising participants.

Meanwhile, amid the siege at Habiganj Sadar Model Police Station, Arif Talukder, SAD convener in the district, told the agitators their that he would personnally accompany the police in taking Mahdi to the court "out of respect for the law."

At the court, Mahdi's bail would be secured before day-break, he told his party colleagues in a bid to pacify them.

He urged his party colleagues to stay calm as "no one is above the law."

Earlier, in the siege, the protesters said that killers of uprising participant Sarif Osman Hadi can avoid getting arrested in a poor-governed country like Bangladesh. However, an uprising hero has been arrested for making a "mistaken remarks." 

The interim government could not have assumed office had there been no uprising, and yet the same government is now undermining the movement ahead of national elections, they said.

Around Saturday afternoon, Mahdi told a media outlet that a "mistaken message" from him has confused the countrymen. Mahdi made relevant remarks during a heated exchange with police while discussing the unfair detention and prompt release of an uprising-linked colleague, he claimed.

Plainclothes police picked him up from a house hours later and handed him over to the Habiganj Sadar Model Police Station.

Earlier, Shayestaganj Police Station's officers detained a leader of Chhatra League, currently a banned terror group, on suspicions he was involved in agression against demonstrators during last year's uprising.

Police cited additional allegations that Enamul Hasan was continuing engagement with Chhatra League.

The next noon on Friday, SAD activists surrounded the police station, and at one point, a delegation led by Mahdi visited the officer-in-charge (OC) at his office.

Videos of the  discussion spread on the internet, where Mahdi is seen responding angrily to the OC's suggestion that an individual cannot rise above the law simply by taking part in the uprising.

Hearing this suggestion, Mahdi reminded the OC that uprising participants torched a police station on 5 August last year, and also beat to death the concerned sub-inspector.