Staff Correspondent
Abdul Latif Siddiqui, former minister of the Awami League and brother of Kader Siddiqui, along with at least 11 others, including Professor Sheikh Hafizur Rahman Karjon of Dhaka University’s Law Department, have been taken into custody by the Detective Branch (DB) of the police.
On Thursday afternoon, they were first taken from the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) premises to Shahbagh Police Station, and later transferred to the DB office. Among the detainees are Awami League leaders, lawyers, and university professors.
The incident occurred during a roundtable discussion titled “Our Great Liberation War and the Constitution of Bangladesh” at the Shafiqul Kabir Auditorium of DRU. This event was the first program of “Mancho 71”, a platform formed to preserve the history of the Liberation War and prevent its distortion. Dr. Kamal Hossain, the former chairman of the Constitution Drafting Committee, was scheduled to attend as the chief guest but did not appear.
During the discussion, after Professor Karjon’s speech, a group of youths carrying “July Warriors” banners entered, shouted slogans, tore the banner, and disrupted the roundtable setup. They temporarily blocked the participants, causing tension, although no physical violence occurred.
Police, led by ADC Asaduzzaman of the Ramna Division, eventually arrived and took Latif Siddiqui, Professor Karjon, and others into custody. Eyewitnesses reported that amidst the commotion, a table was broken, and attending freedom fighters tried to maintain calm.
The police stated that the final decision regarding the detainees will be made by the DB office.