Family claims JU quota reform protest coordinator Arif Sohel picked up by ‘DB, CID’ men
According to Arif Sohel's family members, around 3:45am yesterday (27 July) night, 8-10 individuals claiming to be from the Detective Branch (DB) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) took him from his rented house, where he lived with his family, in the Ambagan area near Jahangirnagar University.
Arif Sohel, a key coordinator of the Jahangirnagar University branch of the "Anti-Discrimination Student Movement", has reportedly been taken away by individuals identifying themselves as "DB" and "CID" officers.
According to Arif Sohel's family members, around 3:45am yesterday (27 July) night, 8-10 individuals claiming to be from the Detective Branch (DB) and the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) took him from his rented house, where he lived with his family, in the Ambagan area near Jahangirnagar University.
Arif Sohel is a student of the 2017-18 academic year (47th batch) in the Department of International Relations at the university.
Arif Sohel's father, Md Abul Khair said, "At around 3:30am last night, 8-10 individuals came to our house and knocked on the gate. Arif's elder brother, Mohammad Ali Jewel, came downstairs and asked for their identification without opening the gate. At one point, Jewel called me and I went to the gate. The individuals requested me to open the gate, claiming they would have tea with Arif's family and identified themselves as members of the DB and CID."
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Abul Khair further reported that after unlocking the gate, the individuals went to the second floor of the house and took everyone's mobile phones. They took the password for Jewel's computer, checked various drives on the computer, and took several photos.
They then informed that senior officials would like to speak with Arif Sohel and Jewel and asked them to prepare to leave.
When Jewel inquired why they needed to go, the individuals said they needed to discuss the movement and the overall situation in the country.
They were then whisked away.
Afterwards, Abul Khair contacted Ashulia Police Station, Savar Model Police Station, and the North Dhaka District Detective Branch (DB) office in Savar but found no information about his sons.
At one point, he spoke with his elder son, Jewel, over the phone. Jewel reported that the individuals had dropped him off in the Genda area and only took Arif with them.
Regarding this matter, Ashulia Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) AFM Sayed said, "No coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement at Jahangirnagar University has been brought to our station. We have no information about anyone being picked up."
Dhaka District Detective Branch (North) Officer-in-Charge (OC) Md Riaz Uddin Ahmed said, "I am not aware of anyone being taken away at night.
