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Published : 03 Jan 2026, 08:52 PM
Police have detained a leader of the Students Against Discrimination who threatened an officer by claiming involvement in the torching of Baniachong Police Station and the burning of a sub-inspector.
He was apprehended in Shayestanagar on Saturday evening, Habiganj Police Superintendent Yasmin Khatun said, adding that specific charges against him would be revealed later.
Following news of his detention, members of the platform gathered outside Habiganj Sadar Police Station demanding Mahdi Hasan’s release.
As tensions grew, the Army was deployed outside the station and later dispersed protesters from the road.
Mahdi, general secretary of the Habiganj district branch of the Students Against Discrimination, was earlier issued a show-cause notice for threatening the Shayestaganj Police chief.
The incident stemmed from the detention of Enamul Haque Nayan, a “July activist” and former vice-president of Bangladesh Chhatra League’s Shayestaganj Sadar Union unit, who was picked up by police on Thursday night.
On Friday afternoon, Mahdi went to the station seeking Nayan’s release and became involved in a heated exchange with an officer Md Abul Kalam.
A video of the confrontation later spread widely on social media, triggering nationwide discussion and criticism.
In the video, Mahdi is seen arguing inside the police station, accompanied by several others.
Identifying himself, he said he was formerly the chief coordinator of the movement in Habiganj and is now its district secretary.
“I have come here strictly to know why my brother was arrested and why bargaining is being done,” he said. “Have all these boys come here for visas or what?”
Referring to the July Uprising, Mahdi claimed 17 people from the area were killed in protest.
“Habiganj’s sons are standing here,” he asserted, questioning the police’s authority to detain activists and suggesting that those who led the July movement had formed the current government, making the administration answerable to them.
As police attempted to respond, Mahdi repeatedly interrupted, accusing the police of ignoring images and videos sent to them showing Nayan’s involvement in the July movement.
Despite attempts by others present to calm him, Mahdi reiterated the claim about burning the police station and killing Santosh.
