The lack communication between leaders of the Students Movement Against Discrimination, a platform for anti-quota movement has resulted in confusion among the protesters about their next course of actions.
One of the key coordinators of the protest, Nahid Islam, who was allegedly picked up by detective branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police in the early hours of Saturday from the capital鈥檚 Khilgaon area, found himself abandoned in Purbachal area some 26 hours later.聽聽
Nahid told 抖阴精品 on Monday that they had suspended their scheduled ghayebana janaza, which refers to funeral prayers in the absence of body, on Monday and 鈥榗omplete shutdown鈥� programme for two days.
鈥榃e will announce our next programme later,鈥� said Nahid.
Umama Fatema, another coordinator of the platform, told 抖阴精品 on Monday that they could not communicate with each other due to telecommunication disruption and fear of police harassment.
Referring to the Nahid鈥檚 ordeals, Umama said, 鈥榃e could not hold in-person or online meetings to fix our demands and next programme of the movement.鈥�
Earlier on Sunday, Nahid told 抖阴精品 that 50-60 men in plainclothes, identifying themselves as DB police, forcibly took him to a vehicle and blindfolded him before taking him to a room, where he was interrogated.
He said that they had asked him why they launched this protest and who were backing them and at one stage tortured him physically and mentally.
The confusion aroused at a time when the nationwide curfew and army deployment rolled on to third consecutive day on Monday.
At least 157 people have been killed were killed in six days since Tuesday, a day after ruling party鈥檚 student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League attacked students indiscriminately on Dhaka University campus and in few other places.聽
The death toll confirmed by hospital and police sources included two persons who died on Monday while undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Amid countrywide violent protests, the Appellate Division on Sunday scrapped the High Court verdict on quota in government job and ordered a 7 per cent quota 鈥� 5 per cent for the children of freedom fighters, 1 per cent for national minorities, and 1 per cent for people with disabilities and third genders.
On Sunday, in a joint statement sent by one of the coordinators, Abdul Kader, the platform鈥檚 59 coordinators and co-coordinators claimed that over 300 protesters were killed during their agitation, and the government could not avoid the responsibility of the killings.
They urged the people to continue the 鈥榗omplete shutdown鈥� programme and hold ghayebana janaza after Zuhr prayers across the country on Monday.
鈥楾here is no clear solution about the quota system in SC verdict and there is a scope of creating confusion in people鈥檚 mind,鈥� the statement said.
It reiterated their nine demands which included an unconditional public apology from prime minister by taking responsibility for the murders during the movement, removal of home minister Asaduzzaman Khan and road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader, suspension of police officers in areas where protesters got killed, removal of vice-chancellors and proctors of Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University and Rajshahi University, banning Chhatra League鈥檚 politics on campuses and making student councils effective, and immediate reopening of universities鈥� campuses and dormitories.
The platform also claimed that at least three of their coordinators were disappeared.
Hasib Al Islam, a co-coordinator, said on Monday that they had found a positive mindset in government and Abdul Kader鈥檚 statement did not reflect the views of all coordinators.
鈥楾he text messages creating confusions in the movement,鈥� he added.聽聽
Hasib placed four-point demand on Monday which included resumption of internet facilities, reopening of all residential halls in all public universities, removal of law enforcers from the campus, and safe return to hall, and ensure security of all coordinators, and withdrawal of curfew in 48 hours.
鈥榃e will announce next programmes after observing the situation for 48 hours,鈥� he added.
Kader could not be reached over phone despite several attempts.
The High Court verdict on June 5 asked the government to restore quotas in public services from grade 9 to 13 sparking a protest in early July which turned violent in two-week time.