More than 21 hours after being picked up by a team of law enforcement officials in plain clothes, Rapid Action Battalion handed over Rashtrochinta organizer Didar Bhuiyan to Ramna Police station on Wednesday.
Didar has been shown arrested in a case filed by RAB under the Digital Security Act, DMP Assistant Commissioner (Ramna zone) SM Shamin told Dhaka Tribune.
“He was handed over to police in the evening,” said Sub Inspector Tahmina, duty officer of the police station.
On Tuesday evening, some men went to Didar's office in Badda posing as members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) 3, his family members said.
The men also seized two computers, a laptop, and a mobile phone from Didar's office, they further alleged.
However, when contacted, RAB officials refuted the allegation.
"I have no information regarding this matter," Abu Jafar Obaidullah, assistant superintendent of police (ASP) at RAB 3, said.
Didar is involved with Rashtrochinta, an advocacy platform for social reform, as a key organizer.
Didar's brother-in-law Jakir Chowdhury said Didar lives on the second floor of a building just behind Holland Centre in North Badda. His office Abak Technology is on the fifth floor of the same building.
Jakir said a group of seven or eight men in plainclothes came to Didar’s office Tuesday afternoon.
“We asked the men in plain clothes, posing as RAB officials, whether there is any specific allegation against Didar, but they did not say anything. They informed us that one of Didar’s friends was involved with a crime, so Didar would be interrogated,” he said.
Although the officials seized computers and laptop, no list of seized items was prepared, nor did they got anyone's signature, Jakir claimed.
He further alleged that Didar might have been picked up for criticizing different acts of the government on social media.
Advocate Hasnat Quaiyum of the Dhaka unit of Rashtrochinta said: “We are concerned as he was picked up without an arrest warrant by men in plain clothes. We vehemently protest this action and demand that he be immediately released, unharmed.”
Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Jyotirmoy Barua in a Facebook post demanded his immediate release as well.
Didar is involved with numerous charitable activities of Rashtrochinta. He also offers various short trainings to the volunteers who are now helping the people in distress due to the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown.
