After over three months in custody, U of T student Tahmid Hasib Khan has been cleared of charges in connection with his alleged involvement in the siege in Bangladesh.
Khan, a global health student at U of T, was at a café with friends in Dhaka’s diplomatic quarter when militants stormed the café and held patrons hostage. 20 people, who were mostly foreign citizens, were killed; Khan was one of the 13 survivors. Khan’s whereabouts were unclear until August 4, when Dhaka Metropolitan Police announced his arrest.
On September 28, Khan was granted bail. The Canadian Press reports that Khan is now facing separate charges for allegedly not co-operating with police.
In July, U of T President Meric Gertler sent a letter to Global Affairs Canada, offering the university’s support for Khan’s case. Global Affairs Canada indicated that its power was limited due to the fact that Khan is a permanent resident, not a citizen. Khan’s friends and family set up Facebook page called, ‘Free Tahmid,’ which has amassed over 67,000 ‘likes.’
“We are grateful that the authorities have concluded their investigation and have confirmed Tahmid’s innocence,” the latest post on the Facebook page reads.
It remains unclear if or when Khan will return to Toronto.
