Habiganj SAD leader arrested after remarks on torching of Baniachong Police Station, setting cop on fire
Earlier in the day, SAD served Mahdi with a show-cause notice, asking him to explain remarks that the organisation said conflicted with its principles and harmed its public image
Police have arrested a local leader of the Students Against Discrimination (SAD) in Habiganj following a heated altercation with police and remarks referring to the arson of a police station and the killing of a police officer, which later went viral on social media.
Mahdi Hasan, district member secretary of SAD, was arrested around 7:30pm today (3 January) by Habiganj Sadar police, confirmed the district Superintendent of Police Yasmin Khatun. However, police did not immediately disclose under which case he was arrested.
According to police sources, the arrest stemmed from an earlier incident at Shayestaganj Police Station, where Mahdi engaged in a verbal confrontation with police officers and reportedly issued threats while pressuring the officer-in-charge (OC) to release a detained activist.
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Mahdi is currently being held at Habiganj Sadar Police Station. Meanwhile, SAD leaders and activists have begun gathering in front of the police station following his arrest.
Earlier in the day, SAD served Mahdi with a show-cause notice, asking him to explain remarks that the organisation said conflicted with its principles and harmed its public image.
The notice, signed by SAD Office Secretary Shahadat Hossain, instructed Mahdi to refrain from all organisational activities until further notice.
According to the notice, statements made by Mahdi at Shayestaganj Police Station on 2 January were broadcast in the media and deemed "unwarranted" by the organisation's central committee. He was asked to submit a written explanation within 24 hours to SAD Central President Rifat Rashid, clarifying why permanent organisational action should not be taken against him.
In the widely circulated video, Mahdi is heard saying, "We burnt down Baniachong Police Station, set SI Santosh on fire," while arguing with OC Kalam over the detention of an activist.
The confrontation took place after the detention of Enamul Hasan Noyon on 1 January, who police described as vice-president in a 2023 committee of the local unit of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the now-banned student wing of the Awami League.
Later, several SAD leaders and activists went to the police station on 2 January to demand his release.
During the exchange, Mahdi also told the OC, "We formed this government. Yet you are picking up our boys. And now you are bargaining."
The video drew widespread criticism on social media.
Following discussions between police and SAD leaders, Noyon was released around 3pm the same day. SAD leaders, however, claimed Noyon was actively involved in the July Uprising that led to the fall of the Awami League government.
Additional Superintendent of Police (Sadar Circle) Shahidul Islam reportedly went to the station and mediated the situation, after which Noyon was released.
Speaking to reporters earlier, Mahdi said detaining someone solely for past involvement with Chhatra League was unjustified, claiming Noyon had played a frontline role in the July movement.
He also alleged that the OC had dismissed their arguments and said, "Just because he joined the movement doesn't change the fact that he was once in the Chhatra League."
Regarding the altercation, Mahdi said they initially tried to resolve the issue through discussion, but tensions escalated after police failed to take their concerns seriously.
The police station's OC Kalam said Noyon was initially detained at his home around midnight on Thursday (1 January) due to his organisational affiliation, but was released after police found evidence of his participation in the movement.
On 5 August 2024, SI Santosh Chowdhury was killed at the Baniachong Police Station during mob violence, and his body was later hung from a tree.
Earlier that day, nine people were killed in police firing in the area after a clash with protesters.
BBC Bangla published a report on the killing on 25 July 2025, which raised allegations that the officer had been specifically targeted. The report was later withdrawn.
