Habiganj court grants bail to SAD leader Mahdi Hasan after overnight protests

A Habiganj court today (4 January) granted bail to Mahdi Hasan, a local leader of Students Against Discrimination (SAD), who was detained following a heated confrontation with police, upon the submission of a Tk200 bond.

The bail was granted after a hearing at around 10am at the court of Habiganj Judicial Magistrate Abdul Mannan, confirmed Shayestaganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abul Kalam.

Mahdi, the member secretary of SAD's Habiganj district unit, was produced before the court at around 7am.

According to Mahdi's lawyer, Abdul Malek Hridoy, the SAD leader was detained on charges of obstructing police duty.

Mahdi was detained around 7:30pm yesterday (3 January). 

Following his detention, SAD activists staged protests overnight in Habiganj and Dhaka, demanding his release.

Until this morning, activists remained positioned at the main gate of the Habiganj Sadar Police Station.

Sources said that amid the protests, Mahdi was taken to the magistrate's residence around midnight. However, as the court did not convene, bail was not granted at that time.

Habiganj district convener of SAD, Arif Talukder, last night said, "We were informed from the central committee that the home adviser had spoken about releasing Mahdi."

Referring to Mahdi's remarks on the Baniyachong incident, he said that incidents related to the July Uprising could not be subject to legal cases as they fall under the July Proclamation.

On Friday (2 January), Mahdi engaged in a verbal confrontation with police officers while pressuring the officer-in-charge of Shayestaganj Police Station to release a detained activist.

During the exchange, he made remarks referring to the arson of a police station and the killing of a police officer during the July Uprising.

Video footage of the incident later spread on social media, drawing widespread criticism.

According to Habiganj Superintendent of Police Mst Yasmin Akhter, Detective Branch (DB) police detained Mahdi from a house in the Shayestanagar area and later showed him arrested.

Mahdi's lawyer Hridoy said, "At around midnight, we were taken to the relevant Magistrate in a police administration vehicle. But as we received no response there, we had to return. From what I have heard, a case has been filed at Shayestaganj Police Station on charges of obstructing police duty, most of the sections of which are bailable."

As news of his detention spread, SAD activists gathered in front of the Sadar Model Police Station and demanded his release.

Army personnel were deployed in front of the station to maintain law and order.

The confrontation stemmed from the detention of Enamul Hasan Noyon, who was picked up around midnight on Thursday (1 January) as his name appears as a vice-president in the 2023 committee of the local unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the now-banned student wing of the Awami League, according to police.

SAD leaders claimed Noyon had actively participated in the July uprising that led to the fall of the Awami League government.

While pressing for his release, Mahdi told the OC, "We burnt down Baniachong Police Station, set SI Santosh on fire," referring to incidents at the station on 5 August 2024, including the killing of Sub-Inspector (SI) Santosh Chowdhury.

Mahdi also said, "We formed this government. Yet, you are picking up our boys. And now you are bargaining."

He also told the OC, "Now I want to know with what audacity he [Noyon] was picked up."

Following mediation by Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) Shahidul Islam, Noyon was later released.

In the aftermath of the incident and public criticism, SAD yesterday issued a show-cause notice to Mahdi Hasan and directed him to refrain from all organisational activities until further notice.

The organisation said his comments were inconsistent with its ideals and had damaged its public image.