Mahdi Who Set the Police Station on Fire
The Same Mahdi Now Takes Shelter at Police Station
Collected Photo
Mahdi Hasan, member secretary (Habiganj unit) of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, has taken shelter at Habiganj Sadar Model Police Station after alleging that leaders and activists of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal attempted to attack him.
On Wednesday afternoon, while traveling in an auto-rickshaw on Old Hospital Road in the district town, he went live on Facebook, claimed he was being chased, and then quickly entered the police station.
In the live broadcast, Mahdi said that Chhatra Dal leaders and activists chased him and attempted to attack him over his personal remarks on social media.
Habiganj Additional Superintendent of Police Rashedul Haque Khan said the matter was under investigation. “An emergency meeting is underway. The officer-in-charge of Sadar Model Police Station will provide detailed information later,” he said.
However, Habiganj district Chhatra Dal President Shah Rajib Ahmed Ringon rejected the allegations. He said, “No evidence has been found to support Mahdi’s claims made in the live video. No one was seen in the rear part of the rickshaw. The allegations against Chhatra Dal are completely false, baseless, and a staged drama.”
Earlier, 21-year-old Mahdi Hasan came into the spotlight after allegations that he threatened police personnel and made provocative remarks targeting law enforcement.
He gained political recognition during the 2024 Anti-Discrimination Student Movement. At that time, as member secretary of the Habiganj unit, he frequently made public statements that drew attention. He remained active in anti-government protests until August 5 during the July movement and later became more widely known for speaking to the media and being active on social media regarding irregularities.
On January 1, Shyestaganj Police Station arrested a young man named Enamul Hasan Nayan, allegedly a Chhatra League activist. Mahdi later visited the police station with his followers and questioned the police over the arrest. A video of the incident went viral on social media.
In that video, referring to the ‘Nine Murders’ incident in Baniachong the day after Sheikh Hasina left the country, he was heard saying, “We had burned down the police station, we had set SI Santosh on fire.” He also allegedly issued threats to the officer-in-charge and secured the release of Nayan. Following criticism over the incident, police arrested him, and he was later released on bail through court.
