Dhaka, Aug 8 (Just News): Photographer Shahidul Alam was taken to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) this morning following a High Court order.
He was shifted to a cabin of the BSMMU from police custody around 9:30am, sources in Dhaka Metropolitan Police said.
His lawyer Barrister Sara Hossain went there to see him but police did not allow her saying that Shahidul is on remand so no visitor would be allowed to visit him, our staff correspondent reports quoting the lawyer.
Yesterday, the HC directed the authorities concerned of the government and police to immediately send the detained photographer to BSMMU for his treatment.
In response to a writ petition filed by his wife Rahnuma Ahmed, the HC also ordered the BSMMU authorities to examine Shahidul's physical condition and submit a report before the court by 10:30am tomorrow.
Shahidul Alam was picked up by plainclothes men on Sunday night and was placed on a seven-day remand by a Dhaka court on Monday in a case filed against him under the controversial Section 57 of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act. He was also “tortured in police custody.”
The bench passed the order following the writ petition filed challenging a lower court order that placed Shahidul on remand in the case.
Hours before he was detained from his Dhanmondi residence, Shahidul came under attack allegedly by Bangladesh Chhatra League men while videoing an attack on students campaigning for road safety near City College in Dhanmondi Saturday afternoon.
Soon after the incident, he took shelter at a nearby guesthouse from where he went live on his Facebook page to share the incident.
“I was attacked a little while ago near City College because I was taking a video of Chhatra League students shouting 'Joy Bangla' and slightly before that attacking students,” he said in the video clip which went viral.
Later, Shahidul uploaded a photo of his vandalised camera on Facebook, saying “Remains of my OSMO,” hash-tagging “we want justice”.
Shahidul, an internationally renowned photographer and a social activist, gave an interview to Al Jazeera English where he criticised the government's role in the ongoing student movement.
(Justnews/ys/1220hr)
