SAD activists stage protest after Habiganj leader’s arrest; demonstrations held in Shahbagh
Protesters vowed to continue their demonstration until Mahdi Hasan is released
Leaders and activists of the Students Against Discrimination (SAD) staged protests in Habiganj and Dhaka on Saturday night (3 January) following the arrest of a local SAD leader by police.
Mahdi Hasan, district member secretary of SAD in Habiganj, was arrested around 7:30pm by Habiganj Sadar Model police, confirmed Superintendent of Police Yasmin Khatun. Police, however, did not immediately disclose the specific charges under which he was arrested.
Following the arrest, reportedly more than a hundred SAD leaders and activists gathered in front of Habiganj Sadar Model Police Station, demanding Mahdi's release, reports Prothom Alo.
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Protesters also blocked the Shahbagh intersection in the capital, causing temporary disruption to traffic.
Mahdi Hasan is a first-year undergraduate student at Habiganj Brindaban Government College and a resident of the Bhadai area in Habiganj Sadar upazila.
As of around 10:30pm, SAD activists continued their sit-in in front of the police station. Among those addressing the gathering were SM Russell, Faisal Amin, and Mir Kader.
Speakers accused the authorities of selectively enforcing the law, alleging that perpetrators of serious crimes remain at large while a "July Uprising activist" had been detained over what they described as an inadvertent statement.
They also claimed that the July movement played a crucial role in the current political landscape and warned against undermining its contributions after the announcement of the election schedule.
Protesters vowed to continue their demonstration until Mahdi Hasan is released.
According to police sources, the arrest of Mahdi stemmed from an earlier incident at Shayestaganj Police Station, where he engaged in a verbal confrontation with police officers and reportedly issued threats while pressuring the officer-in-charge (OC) to release a detained activist.
Mahdi is currently being held at Habiganj Sadar Police Station. 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.
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.
