On July 24, a sweeping nationwide curfew entered its fifth consecutive day with partial relaxation, while at least 1,400 people were detained across the country as part of an ongoing crackdown linked to the quota reform and anti-discrimination student movement.
According to Prothom Alo, 641 arrests took place in Dhaka alone, with the majority being BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami affiliates.
With the fresh wave of arrests, the total number detained since July 17 reached over 4,500, including 1,758 in Dhaka and 703 in Chattogram.
"We are identifying and arresting the perpetrators based on video footage," said then Detective Branch (DB) Chief Mohammad Harun-Ur-Rashid.
Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun added, "Wherever the miscreants are hiding, they will be brought under the law."
Despite curfew restrictions, scattered protests continued. Students carried out symbolic outreach events in Dhaka and several districts.
Authorities relaxed the curfew from 10am to 5pm in Dhaka and a few districts, allowing limited movement for emergency needs. Army, police, and RAB maintained street patrols, and government offices, banks, buses, and launches resumed services on a restricted scale.
Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal assured, "The curfew will remain until public confidence is fully restored."
In a dramatic development that same day, three missing coordinators of the student platform Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain, Abu Bakar Mojumder, and Rifat Rashid resurfaced after five days of alleged secret detention.
Asif Mahmud wrote on Facebook, "On the night of July 19th, at around 11 PM, I was picked up from the Mahanagar Residential Area in Hatirjheel. I was pressured to announce a suspension of the movement. When I refused, they injected me with something that made me unconscious. Every time I regained consciousness over the past four to five days, they injected me again to keep me unconscious. Today, Wednesday at 11 AM, I was dropped off again at the same place, blindfolded."
Abu Bakar posted, "On the evening of July 19th, I was picked up from Dhanmondi. When I refused to state to end the movement, I was locked in a dark room. They blindfolded me and left me in an area near where I was taken. I am now safe with my family. After some initial medical treatment, I will tell you everything in detail."
Rifat Rashid shared on his Facebook post, "I'm alive, not dead. I narrowly escaped being forcibly disappeared. Following the decision of the coordinators, I went into a safe hiding place. Since then, it's been like a game of snakes and ladders — one day at this house, another day at that house. Every time I tried to connect by phone, I was tracked. I don't know how long I'll remain safe."
As the nation continues to reel from political unrest, forced disappearances, and sweeping arrests, the resurfacing of the missing student leaders has only intensified public concern. While curfew measures may restore temporary order, questions remain over accountability, justice, and the safety of those demanding reform.
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