The Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) has urged the authorities for the immediate release of Hafiz Al Asad (Sayed Khan), a former executive member of the organisation, who was kept under remand in the false allegation.

The platform of Dhaka-based reporters, in a statement on Wednesday, reiterated ‘strong condemnation and concern’ over the arrest and remand of Sayed, a correspondent of the German newspaper The Mirror Asia.

“When Metrorail was burnt, Sayed Khan was performing professional duties at the Dhaka Reporters Unity,” DRU President Syed Shukur Ali Shuvo and General Secretary Mohi Uddin said in a joint statement on Wednesday.

DRU leaders mentioned that Syed Khan, a permanent member of DRU, is a professional journalist and works for a foreign media from Dhaka.

The journalist leaders have condemned the false allegation brought against a professional journalist claiming that Sayed Khan has deliberately been implicated in this case. “The incident creates an unfortunate and uncomfortable situation for reporters’ community. If there is no video footage against him, release him immediately,”

“He was picked up by law enforcement from his home on 25 July. Then Khan was accused in the Metrorail burning case and remanded for five days,” read the statement.

DRU leaders strongly demanded the immediate release of Sayed Khan from this case and requested law enforcement agencies not to arrest or harass journalists without specific charges in the future.