Mahdi Hasan, member secretary of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement’s Habiganj district unit, was granted bail on Sunday morning.
Police produced Mahdi before the Habiganj Judicial Magistrate Court in connection with a case at around 8:30am, said Shayestaganj Police Station’s officer-in-charge Abul Kalam.
He added that Mahdi was arrested on charges of obstructing police duties. A case was filed against him in this connection, he said.
The arrest was made on Saturday evening after a video showing him threatening the officer-in-charge of Shayestaganj Police Station went viral.
According to the police, Mahdi had gone to Shaistaganj Police Station on Friday to secure the release of a youth detained by police. There, he got into an altercation with the OC. A video of the conversation spread on social media, sparking discussion and criticism.
The viral video shows Mahdi engaging in an argument with the OC inside the police station. At one point, claiming to be a leader of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, he tells the OC, “We have reformed the government through our movement. The administration in this area is our people. You have arrested and brought in our boy. You are arguing with us.”
“Now you are saying, so what if I am an activist? We have 17 martyrs here. We burned down the Baniachong Police Station. We burned SI Shantosh alive. I want to know what gave you the courage to say this to me?”
Mahdi was arrested within 24 hours of this video going viral.
In this regard, Anti-Discrimination Student Movement’s page wrote: “The Superintendent of Police of Habiganj district, Yasmin Khatun, has admitted to arresting Mahdi Hasan, citing various vague and illogical reasons including formally threatening the OC and fears of the electoral environment being disrupted.
“The Superintendent of Police of Habiganj district and the officer-in-charge of Shayestaganj police station must be withdrawn immediately for the unjustified arrest of July fighter Mehedi Hasan.”
