16 people including Latif Siddiqui to be booked under Anti-Terrorism Act

Expelled Awami League leader Abdul Latif Siddiqui and Dhaka University Law Department professor Sheikh Hafizur Rahman Curzon among 16 people, who were detained for holding a roundtable discussion at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU), is set to be shown arrested.

A case will be filed against them under the Anti-Terrorism Act, said DB Additional DIG Mohammad Nasirul Islam.

An organization called 'Manch 71' was organizing a roundtable discussion titled 'Our Great Liberation War and the Constitution of Bangladesh' at DRU's Shafiqul Kabir Auditorium. Emeritus President of Gono Forum Dr. Kamal Hossain was supposed to be present as the chief guest at the event. But the meeting was delayed due to the late arrival of Kamal Hossain and lawyer ZI Khan Panna, one of the organizers of the event.

However, Dr. Syed Anwar Hossain, Professor Mesbah Kamal, journalist Mahbub Kamal, former MP Abdul Latif Siddiqui, Dhaka University teacher Professor Sheikh Hafizur Rahman Curzon and many others were present.

During the discussion, moderated by one of the organizers, Professor Abdullah Al Mahmud Bir Pratik, a group of people entered the meeting venue chanting slogans. At that time, they kept shouting slogans like ‘Abu Sayeed, Mughdho, the war is not over’, ‘July weapon, roar again’, ‘Detain League, send to jail’, ‘July fighters, unite and fight’ etc. on hand microphones. Some of them entered the venue with sticks. At one stage, they closed the door of the venue and started scuffling with the organizers. These people, who identified themselves as July fighters, also insulted some of the participants in the event.

Later, they got excited when they saw Abdul Latif Siddiqui and moved towards the stage. One of them said to Latif Siddiqui, ‘You are coming to rehabilitate fascists. Where are the atheists! You are making slanderous remarks about Hajj.’

The rioters tore down the banners of the roundtable discussion and blocked the participants in the discussion. Although many of the guests were eventually evicted, they blocked Abdul Latif Siddiqui and Professor Sheikh Hafizur Rahman.

Later, the police arrived and took at least 16 people, including the two of them, to the Detective Branch office for security reasons.