Asif Mahmood, Abu Baker Mojumdar and Rifat Rashid, one of the co-ordinators of the Quota movement platform anti-discrimination student movement, have been traced. Five days after their disappearance, Asif and Baker were left blindfolded on Wednesday, both said in a Facebook post. And Rifat is in hiding.
All three are studying in Dhaka University. Asif Mahmood was dropped in Hatirjheel, Dhaka and Abu Baker in Dhanmondi area, they said. The Facebook post did not specify who picked them up. And Rifat wrote in a Facebook post, “I narrowly escaped being lost.”
Asif Mahmood wrote in a Facebook post in the afternoon, “I was picked up from Mohanagar residential area of Hatirjheel on July 19 last at 11 pm. He was forced to announce the suspension of the movement. Na mana is rendered senseless by injection. In these four-five days, as often as he regains consciousness, he is kept senseless by injections. Today Wednesday at 11 o’clock he was left blindfolded again at the same place.
Asif also wrote, ‘Now I am being treated in the hospital with my family. I am trying to know what happened in these few days. I will tell the details about the movement after talking to the coordinators when I am a bit healthy.
In a Facebook post around 6pm, Baker wrote, ‘I was picked up from Dhanmondi after evening on July 19 and locked in a dark room when I refused to give a statement to stop the movement. I was blindfolded in the area next to the area from which it was picked up. I am safe with my family now. I will tell you everything in detail about first aid.
Around 7:15 Rifat Rashid wrote on Facebook, ‘I am alive, not dead. I narrowly escaped being lost. Following the decision of the coordinators, I went to the safe haven. Then the life of this snake-ludu. Today’s home is tomorrow’s home. Every time I tried to connect the phone, I was subjected to phone tracking. I don’t know how long I will be safe.’
Sargis Alam, one of the coordinators of the student movement, confirmed that Asif and Baker were found. Rifat Rashid’s father Delwar Hossain said that they have been in contact with his son.
Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, the leaders of the anti-discrimination student movement held a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) auditorium. Asif Mahmud’s father said there. Billal Hussain said, “Seeing the news of Asif’s disappearance in the newspaper, I came to Dhaka from Comilla Muradnagar and searched at Dhaka Medical College morgue. I didn’t find him. Now I have only one Abdar, I want to find Asif.’ Other coordinators of the movement also demanded to find Asif.
Yesterday evening several calls were made to Asif’s father’s mobile but the number was found to be switched off.
Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, the leaders of the anti-discrimination student movement held a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) auditorium. Asif Mahmud’s father said there. Billal Hussain said, “Seeing the news of Asif’s disappearance in the newspaper, I came to Dhaka from Comilla Muradnagar and searched at Dhaka Medical College morgue. I didn’t find him. Now I have only one Abdar, I want to find Asif.’ Other coordinators of the movement also demanded to find Asif.
Yesterday evening several calls were made to Asif’s father’s mobile but the number was found to be switched off.
Earlier last Friday, movement coordinator Nahid Islam was picked up from a house in Khilgaon Nandipara of the capital in the identity of security forces. After nearly 24 hours of physical and mental torture, he was left in Purbachal area, he said.
The ultimatum expires tomorrow
Sarjis Alam, one of the coordinators of the protestors, said today that the 48-hour ultimatum given to the government to meet the four-point ‘urgent demand’ will end at 10 pm tomorrow, Thursday. After reviewing the situation, they will give their next statement or position to the media at any time tomorrow in a press conference or in any other way.<
