Dhaka, Apr 17 (UNB) – Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Tuesday refuted the allegation of blindfolding and picking up of three leaders of the quota reform movement on the previous day (Monday).

The three leaders and their organization – Bangladesh General Students’ Rights Protection Council – earlier told media that DB men picked the trio, forced them into a microbus and then they were blindfolded with black scarves on Monday.

The allegation of picking up three council leaders–  Rashed Khan, Nurul Haque Nuru and Farooque Haque –into a microbus and then they being blindfolded with black scarves is not true, claimed Joint Commissioner (DB) Abdul Baten  replying to a question while briefing reporters at DMP media centre on Tuesday.

Baten denied the allegation saying that the incident was a ‘misunderstanding’. “We have no position regarding the movement of Bangladesh General Students’ Rights Protection Council for reforming the quota system in government’s job.”

The DB has been investigating the case, which were filed in connection with attack on Dhaka University Vice-Chancellor’s residence, he said.

A number of DU students have already been called to DB office in different times to identify perpetrators involved in the VC’s residence attack as “we do not know any of the attackers,” the Joint Commissioner (DB) said.

They (three council leaders) were called to DB office for the sake of investigation into the violence on the DU campus, he said.

Replying to a question Baten said there was no direct allegation against the three council leaders. They (agitators) demanded withdrawal of the cases, which were filed with Shahbagh police station in connection with the DU campus violence. There is no connection between the demand of case withdrawal and interrogation of the three council members at DB office, he added.

Bangladesh General Students’ Rights Protection Council’ on Monday threatened to wage a fresh movement if the cases filed against them during the quota-reform movement are not withdrawn within two days.

On April 11 last, four cases were filed against unnamed accused following a clash and vandalism on the DU campus and its VC’s house during the demonstration for the reformation of quota system in government jobs.

Barely an hour after their ultimatum for withdrawal of all the cases filed against them, three leaders of the council were reportedly picked up by detectives from near Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH) on Monday.

DB police allegedly picked them up into a microbus around 1:25 pm while they were going to Chankharpool from the DMCH after visiting some students who got hurt during the quota-reform demonstration. They were released at around 2:50 pm.

Later, at a press conference in front of the DU Central Library Monday afternoon, Nurul Haque, co-convener of the council, alleged that the DB police picked the three council leaders into a microbus and then they were blindfolded with black scarves.