3 women among 7 detained in Ctg over food distribution marking Hasina's birthday

Police have detained seven people, including three women and a minor, while they were distributing food and cake in Chattogram's Bayezid Bostami area to mark the birthday of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

They were detained during a raid at Oxygen Shital Jharna Residential Area around 9:30pm yesterday (27 September), police said.

Bayezid Bostami Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Ikhtiar Uddin confirmed the matter to The Business Standard, saying the detainees were involved in distributing food and cake on the occasion of Sheikh Hasina's birthday.

"Legal action against them is under process," he said.

The OC said Awami League leaders and activists had organised a doa mahfil in the city's Panchlaish area. After learning about the programme, police conducted an operation there.

Later, acting on a tip-off about a food distribution programme at Beirishi Manobseba Briddhashram in Shital Jharna Residential Area, police increased surveillance in the area and detained the seven.

According to a police press release, the operation was conducted under the direction of Chattogram Metropolitan Police North Division Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Hasan Mostafa Swapan and supervision of an additional deputy commissioner, led by Bayezid Bostami Police Station OC Ikhtiar Uddin.

Police claimed that those detained were activists of the banned Awami League, Jubo League and the banned Chhatra League.

The detainees were identified as Nurul Hakim Rabbi, 25; Asif Mahmud, 16; Sufia Begum, 50; Sharmin Akter, 30; Sharmin Akter Lima, 27; Mohammad Sani, 17; and Habibur Rahman, 19.

Police said two of the detainees are aged 16 and 17 and have been described as "children in conflict with the law". Police said legal proceedings against the detained individuals are underway.