Former Awami League minister Abdul Latif Siddique, brother of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal leader Kader Siddique, was detained by police along with several others at the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) premises this afternoon.
The incident occurred around 12 p.m. when a roundtable discussion titled “Our Great Liberation War and the Constitution of Bangladesh”, organised by Mancha 71, was underway at the Shafiqul Kabir Auditorium of DRU.
According to eyewitnesses, a group of 20–25 young men under the banner of “July Joddha” (July Fighters), reportedly led by Al Amin Russell, entered the hall and began chanting slogans against the speakers, accusing them of criticising the July Uprising. Former minister Latif Siddique and several other participants were surrounded and confined inside the venue, though no physical assault was reported.
Freedom fighter Golam Mostafa, who attended the programme, said: “We invited freedom fighters from all political backgrounds. The programme started with Latif Siddique present, but Dr. Kamal Hossain did not arrive. Soon after, the young men stormed in and surrounded us.”
Police, led by Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Hafiz Al Asad of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, later intervened. Latif Siddique and others were taken into a police van and moved to Shahbagh Police Station. Confirming the detention, ADC Hafiz Al Asad told reporters that further decisions would be made by senior officials.
At the scene, witnesses noted a broken table and chaos inside the hall as Mancha 71 participants and protesters clashed verbally, forcing the abrupt suspension of the event.
