Student detained over bottle-throwing incident released: DMP

Police have released the student who was detained for questioning over a bottle-throwing incident that struck Information Adviser Mahfuz Alam on the head during a protest in Dhaka city’s Kakrail intersection.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (Media and Public Relations) Mohammad Talebur Rahman confirmed the release on Friday evening.

He said the student had been taken to the Detective Branch (DB) office on Minto Road on Thursday night and was handed over to his mother and sister around 6:00pm on Friday.

Earlier in the day, protesting students of Jagannath University had threatened to besiege the DB office if the student was not released.

The warning was issued by Jagannath University Chhatra Dal member secretary Shamsul Arefin during a sit-in demonstration at the Kakrail intersection.

He said the student must be released within two hours, or protesters would march to the DB office.

“A minor incident involving a bottle is being exaggerated, while no action has been taken against those who attacked our university students,” Arefin said.

The incident occurred on Wednesday night when Adviser Mahfuz Alam visited student protesters at Kakrail.

While he was speaking to them, a plastic water bottle was thrown and struck him on the head. He left the scene shortly afterward.

According to DB officials, video footage of the incident was reviewed before the student was picked up for questioning.

In an earlier statement, the DB said the student would be handed over to his guardian after the interrogation.