Police picks up quota reform protest coordinator Nusrat Tabassum

Nusrat Tabassum, a student of the Department of Political Science and coordinator of Dhaka University’s Shamsunnahar Hall for the anti-quota movement platform “Anti-Discrimination Student Movement,” has reportedly been abducted by individuals claiming to be from the Detective Branch (DB) of the police.

The incident allegedly occurred at 5am today (28 July) when she was taken from a residence in Mirpur, confirmed by Abdul Hannan Masud, another coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and a Dhaka University student. 

Another co-coordinator, Rashidul Islam Rifat, also posted about the incident on Facebook.

Abdul Hannan Masud wrote in a Facebook post, “Nusrat Tabassum Apa was taken away by plainclothes law enforcement officers early this morning (28 July). We demand information of her whereabouts and her immediate release. This anarchy is intolerable, and a united protest by all, regardless of party affiliation, is now imperative.”

Meanwhile, general students of the university’s Institute of Education and Research have issued a statement demanding the release of Shamsuzzaman Omi, a student of the 2020-21 academic year, who is incarcerated in connection with a case filed at the Airport Police Station related to the quota reform movement.

In the statement issued yesterday (27 July), the students said, “Shamsuzzaman Omi participated peacefully in the quota reform movement. He was not involved in any vandalism, nor was he associated with any student politics. We demand his immediate release and withdrawal of the false charges against him.