KOLKATA: BNP workers Nizamuddin Minto and Zakir Hossain in Dhaka were arrested on July 22 for helping out students during the movement—they distributed water and food among them. The two were released on Wednesday after the Awami League govt collapsed. Minto spoke to TOI from Dhaka:
At 12.30 am on July 22, a group of policemen in plainclothes barged into our room and pointed a pistol at me and my friend, Zakir. A CID officer told us we were under arrest, that they would kill us as we had apparently killed many cops. The officers said they had killed 25 youths, and that we would be their No. 26 and No. 27. We were put on a 14-seater bus. There were 18-20 armed CID personnel around us. On the bus, they handcuffed us and administered electric shock with some gadget, demanding to know the whereabouts of some of the protesters.
Later, they stepped down, had some food and offered us, too, but we refused. We were taken on to the Postogola bridge over the Buriganga and ordered to stand on the railing. We were given two choices—help them arrest at least 10 protesters or be shot. We pretended to agree to cooperate. We were taken to the CID headquarters at Malibagh in Dhaka and were put inside a cell with five others. We would be interrogated thrice a day, during which they would abuse and assault us for details. After four days of torture and psychological torment, we were taken to court and sent to Dhaka Central Jail. On Aug 5, news started coming in about the upheaval. After lunch, we heard Sk Hasina had fled. The next morning, we were told we would be released. An elderly sentry told us, “Apnader aaj mukti deoa hobe (You will be set free today).”
We, along with nearly 3,400 political prisoners, were released around 10.30 pm.
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