SAD Leader Mahdi Detained by Indian Immigration Police at Delhi Airport

Mahdi Hasan, Member Secretary of the Habiganj district unit of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, has been detained by Indian immigration police at Delhi airport. He was stopped around 12:20 pm today (Wednesday, 18 February) while attempting to board an Indigo Airlines flight to Dhaka after a personal trip to India. Mahdi immediately informed a Bangladesh High Commission official in Delhi.

According to The Descent, a video of Mahdi was secretly recorded and circulated on social media yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon during his stay in Delhi for Finland visa-related work at a VFS center. Posts labeled him a “self-confessed killer of July” and included threats, with his name and identity clearly mentioned. A source at the Bangladesh Consulate in India said the High Commission contacted Mahdi yesterday following the threats, after which he was detained at the airport today.

Mahdi told media yesterday that an unknown person recorded him at the VFS center. Since then, he has received calls and messages from unfamiliar numbers. He realized someone had posted his current location, mobile number, and other personal information on social media without his knowledge. He stated he did not know who recorded the video.

Mahdi rose to prominence earlier this year when he led a protest at Shayestaganj police station demanding the release of Enamul Hasan, a former Chatra League leader arrested over alleged involvement in banned student politics. During the sit-in at OC Abul Kalam’s room, Mahdi was heard saying in a heated exchange: “We burned Banianchong police station, we set fire to SI Santosh. From that place, how dare he (the OC) say this (that being in the movement is fine)? I’m strictly here. Did we come with so many brothers just like that?”