11-hour curfew break in Dhaka for 3 days, will relax further very soon: Home minister

The ongoing curfew has been relaxed for an 11-hour period from 7am-6pm on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday in Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj and Narsingdi, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said yesterday.

Earlier on the day, the government announced a relaxation of the curfew for nine hours, from 8am till 5pm. 

“As the current situation [unrest] is improving, [with it] the law and order situation is also improving…We will try to relax the curfew further very soon,” the minister told reporters after a meeting with the senior law enforcement officials at his Dhanmondi residence on Saturday night. 

In the rest of the districts, administration and law enforcers concerned will coordinate and decide on curfew hours, the home minister added.

Regarding the five coordinators of the Anti-discrimination Student Movement, including Nahid Islam, Abu Baker Majumdar, Asif Mahmud, Sargis Alam and Hasnat Abdullah, who have been taken into DB custody over their security concerns, the minister said, “These protesters may face various threats. Which is why they went into hiding, they told their families.

“They, then, contacted us. Which is why we have brought them into our custody.” 

He further said these protest leaders disclosed names and addresses of many who have instigated or tried to divert their movement. 

“Police officers are hearing from them. They are also taking care of their safety. We are taking into account those names and addresses. We think you will get to know about them soon,” the minister said.

Asked if these five students were likely to be accused in cases, the home minister said, “They will say what they have done or not done or if they have done anything at all. We do not know yet.”

Regarding the movement, he further said, “Student brothers, those who have not yet withdrawn their protest programmes, I will request them to do so. If they don’t, they can’t evade accountability.”