Former MP and DU Professor Surrounded, Taken Into Police Custody

A group of individuals blocked former Member of Parliament Abdul Latif Siddiqui and Dhaka University professor Sheikh Hafizur Rahman (Karzon) on Thursday. The group identified themselves as “July Warriors.”

The incident occurred when Siddiqui and Professor Rahman went to participate in a roundtable discussion at the Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU) in the morning. The discussion, titled “Our Great Liberation War and the Constitution of Bangladesh,” was organized by a platform called Moncho 71. Dr. Kamal Hossain, a key architect of Bangladesh’s Constitution and emeritus president of the Gano Forum, was scheduled to attend as the chief guest but was absent. The session, planned to start at 10 a.m., began around 11 a.m.

During the event, Professor Sheikh Hafizur Rahman addressed the audience first. He criticized attempts to undermine the nation’s constitution, alleging involvement by political groups including Jamaat-Shibir and the National Citizens’ Party (NCP). He added that under Professor Yunus’s leadership, they were disrespecting freedom fighters.

Immediately after his speech, the group carrying banners and shouting slogans like “July’s weapons, rise again,” “Hold the League, jail them,” and “July warriors, unite and fight” entered the DRU hall. They tore the roundtable banners and blocked participants from leaving.

Around 12:15 p.m., police arrived at the scene. Officers took Abdul Latif Siddiqui, Professor Rahman, and at least 15 others into custody. Deputy Commissioner Asaduzzaman was present, and several police personnel later escorted them away in a police van.

Siddiqui commented that he had not anticipated any trouble and had no political affiliation with the ruling Awami League, attending the event simply because he was invited.

One of the group members, Al Amin Russel, explained that as July Warriors, they opposed the presence of Awami League, Jubo League, and banned student league members, whom they accused of plotting conspiracies.

Shamim Hossain, a local leader from Paltan Thana, added that the group acted to protect historical memory, stating, “We handed them over to the police rather than taking the law into our own hands.”

Other attendees included former Secretary Abu Alam Shahid Khan and Professor Abdullah Al Mahmud, coordinator of Moncho 71.

Later, Deputy Commissioner S.N.M. Nazrul Islam confirmed that Siddiqui had been taken into police custody but no legal decisions had been made yet. Shahbagh Police Station Officer-in-Charge Khalid Monsur noted that Siddiqui and others might be sent to the Detective Branch (DB) office for further investigation.