Ex-minister Latif Siddique and others detained by police

NN ONLINE:

Police have detained former minister Latif Siddique and several others after unrest at a Mancha 71 event hosted by the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU).

Latif Siddique was surrounded by attendees as he arrived to participate in a programme organized by Mancha 71 on Thursday morning at the DRU Shafiqul Kabir Auditorium. Police then moved in to take him into custody at the venue.

As Latif was being escorted away, Sub-Inspector Rashed of Shahbagh Police Station said: “We had no alternative but to clear the area. We are taking them into custody. Senior officials will decide.”

A group of youths, identifying themselves as ‘July Fighters’, handed them over to police around 12pm as they were allegedly trying to create chaos  at the event at Shafiqul Kabir Auditorium of Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU), witnesses said. The Mancha 71 roundtable focused on “Our Glorious Liberation War and the Bangladesh Constitution,” with former Gono Forum president Kamal Hossain expected to attend as chief guest.

Golam Mostafa, a freedom fighter who attended, explained: “I came to the event because all freedom fighters were invited, not limited by party lines. We had begun the program, Latif Siddique joined, but Kamal Hossain did not. Then a group of 20–25 young men arrived and caused a disturbance. They surrounded us.”

Eyewitnesses noted that one table was damaged, while some attendees remained present. A disorderly crowd gathered, and around noon Latif and several others were taken away by a police van led by ADC Asad.