Renowned Bangladeshi photographer and human rights activist Shahidul Alam has been released from an Israeli prison. Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus has expressed his gratitude to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for his assistance in securing Alam’s release.
The information was disclosed in a press statement issued by the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing on Friday (October 10) evening.
According to Turkish sources, a flight carrying Shahidul Alam and several other detainees departed from Israel on Friday afternoon. The flight (TK-6921) was scheduled to land in Istanbul at approximately 2:30 p.m. local time.
Shahidul Alam, Managing Director of Drik, has long been known for his advocacy of human rights and freedom of expression. He joined the “Freedom Flotilla Coalition” mission aimed at breaking the Israeli naval blockade of Gaza and protesting Israeli aggression in Palestine. The flotilla, consisting of nine vessels with participants including politicians, journalists, doctors, and rights activists from various countries, was attacked by Israeli forces on Wednesday. All those on board were detained.
Following Alam’s detention, the Government of Bangladesh launched swift diplomatic efforts. According to a verified post from the Chief Adviser’s official Facebook page, Bangladeshi embassies in Jordan, Egypt, and Turkey were instructed to contact the respective foreign ministries and take immediate measures to ensure Shahidul Alam’s release.
Thanks to the rapid diplomatic intervention, his release was confirmed on Friday.