Bangladesh Seeks Türkiye's Help to Free Activist Detained by Israel

Bangladesh has confirmed it is collaborating with Türkiye to secure the release of its citizen Shahidul Alam, a prominent rights activist currently detained in Israeli custody following the interception of a humanitarian flotilla bound for Gaza. The Bangladeshi interim government disclosed Friday that diplomatic efforts are underway with Turkish assistance to free Alam, who serves as managing director of Dhaka-based independent media organization Drik and is internationally recognized for his photographic work.

Alam was among 150 humanitarian activists aboard the Freedom Flotilla Coalition and Thousand Madleens to Gaza mission when Israeli naval forces intercepted their vessels in international waters off the Gaza coast. According to Bangladeshi authorities, the activists were "ambushed and attacked" before being "illegally detained and sent to jail by Israel." The incident has sparked international concern and prompted coordinated diplomatic responses from multiple nations whose citizens participated in the humanitarian mission.

Bangladesh's interim government revealed that "Turkish authorities have expressed hope that there is every possibility of bringing him to Ankara today (Friday) on a special plane," indicating advanced negotiations for Alam's release. Following the detention, Bangladesh instructed its embassies in Jordan, Egypt, and Türkiye to immediately engage with host foreign ministries to facilitate Alam's prompt release. The South Asian nation, which maintains a population of approximately 170 million people, does not formally recognize Israel as a state.

Humanitarian Care Malaysia (MyCARE) director Kamarul Zaman Shaharul Anwar confirmed that nine Malaysian nationals were similarly detained during the flotilla incident and are anticipated to be among 95 activists scheduled for transport to Türkiye on Friday. The release operations coincide with the implementation of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, potentially creating more favorable conditions for resolving the detentions that occurred during the two-year conflict that has resulted in nearly 67,200 Palestinian casualties in Gaza.