Five days after their mysterious disappearance, three coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement, who led the recent protests demanding reforms in government job quotas, have been found.

Asif Mahmud and Abu Bakr Majumdar, both Dhaka University students, were discovered blindfolded near a city road on Wednesday, while Rifat Rashid, also a Dhaka University student, confirmed his safe return but did not disclose details of his ordeal.

Mahmud and Majumdar confirmed their abduction through Facebook posts, stating they were taken from Hatirjheel and Dhanmondi respectively. They did not reveal who abducted them or what transpired during their disappearance.

Rashid also confirmed his safe return via Facebook, posting "I survived by luck," but did not provide any further details about his disappearance or reappearance.

The discovery of the three coordinators comes after Nahid Islam, another coordinator of the movement, was abducted last Friday from a house in Dhaka. He was reportedly subjected to physical and mental torture for nearly 24 hours before being released blindfolded near a highway in Dhaka.

The disappearances and reappearance of the student leaders have raised serious concerns about the safety and security of those involved in the anti-discrimination movement, with many suspecting law enforcement involvement.

Student protesters in Bangladesh have consistently voiced concerns about their safety and alleged targeting by law enforcement agencies. Their fears were tragically confirmed when Asif Mahmud, one of the three recently located student leaders, recounted a harrowing experience of abduction and forced sedation.

How has the abduction taken place?

In a chilling Facebook post on Wednesday, Mahmud described how he was abducted from his Hatirjheel residence on the night of July 19th. He was subjected to immense pressure to abandon the ongoing movement, and when he resisted, he was repeatedly injected with an unknown substance to render him unconscious.

"Each time I regained consciousness over the next four to five days, they injected me again to keep me subdued," Mahmud revealed in his post. His ordeal finally ended on Wednesday morning, when he was left blindfolded at the same location from where he was initially abducted.

Asif Mahmud, one of the three recently located student leaders, revealed in a Facebook post that he is currently receiving medical treatment and is attempting to piece together the events of his abduction. He plans to discuss the movement with fellow coordinators once he has recovered.

Mahmud's harrowing account was followed by another chilling revelation from Abu Bakr Majumdar, who shared on Facebook that he was forcibly taken from Dhanmondi on the evening of July 19th. He was threatened with confinement unless he issued a statement to halt the movement. Majumdar was later released blindfolded and is now safe with his family.

Rifat Rashid, the third student leader, also posted on Facebook, stating he had "narrowly escaped" a dangerous situation and was in hiding, fearing he was being tracked via his phone.

These accounts provide further evidence of the threats and intimidation faced by student leaders during the recent protests, say analysts.

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