In a heartbreaking scene on Sunday afternoon, in front of the Detective Branch (DB) office on Minto Road, Dhaka, Mumtaz Begum, the mother of Nahid Islam, one of the leading coordinators of the quota reform movement, made a tearful appeal to journalists. Clutching a photo of her son, she implored, “My son was taken to the DB office supposedly for his safety. We do not accept this. I want my son back home where he belongs.”
Seventeen-year-old Nahid Islam, along with four other young coordinators, has been held in the custody of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DB) under the pretext of ensuring their security. The anguished family, including Nahid’s mother, two aunts, an uncle, and his young wife, spent hours in front of the DB office, desperately trying to catch a glimpse of Nahid. Their pleas went unanswered, and they were turned away after a heart-wrenching wait.
Mumtaz Begum, her voice trembling with emotion, said, “We were told by the DB to remain worry-free. But how can a mother be worry-free when her child is in a place like this? My son is safest with us, his family.”
She continued, “We demand that all the boys be released to their families. If protection was truly needed, the police could have ensured their safety in a hospital, not in detention.”
Since Nahid’s detention, Mumtaz Begum claims the family has been left in the dark, with no information provided. “We cannot believe that my son was brought here for his safety. I want him returned to us. Every child deserves to be with their parents, especially during difficult times,” she pleaded, tears streaming down her face.
Mumtaz Begum also shared the harrowing ordeal Nahid endured previously, being tortured after his initial detention. “Now, he has been taken again, and we were not even allowed to see him. Nahid was taken from his hospital bed, where he was receiving treatment. How can they expect us to remain calm and worry-free?” she cried.
Nahid’s aunt, visibly shaken, recounted her last visit to the hospital. “His leg wounds were severe, and he was in such pain. We planned to bring him home the next day, but then he was taken away. How can a mother or an aunt bear this pain?” she said, her voice breaking.
Earlier, Additional Police Commissioner (DB) Mohammad Harun Or Rashid attempted to reassure Nahid’s family. “We are ensuring their safety, and their families should rest assured,” he said. However, his words provided little comfort to a family torn apart by fear and uncertainty.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, speaking at the Secretariat, claimed that the coordinators were not arrested but taken into protective custody. “They themselves said they were at risk. One even told his father he had gone into hiding for special reasons. We took them for their safety,” he explained.
He added that the coordinators were being questioned about who instigated them and led the movement to turn violent. “We are asking them which political parties or individuals provoked them, and they are answering our questions,” he said.
As Mumtaz Begum stood in front of the DB office, surrounded by her distraught family, she made one final, heart-wrenching plea. “Please, return my son to us. He is just a boy. He deserves to be home with his family, not in a place like this. We are all worried sick. How can we ever be worry-free knowing our children are suffering?”
