“You can imprison the body, not the truth” — Shahidul Alam
On 8 October 2025, Bangladeshi photographer and activist Shahidul Alam was aboard the humanitarian aid-flotilla vessel Conscience, part of the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, when Israeli naval forces intercepted the ship approximately 220 kilometers off the coast of Gaza in international waters. In a pre-recorded video posted that morning, Alam stated:
“If you are seeing this video, we have been intercepted at sea, and I have been kidnapped by the occupation forces of Israel…”
Alam’s media organisation, confirmed that all aboard—including journalists, doctors, humanitarians, and writers—were detained and taken to an Israeli port. The flotilla’s mission was to break Israel’s naval blockade on Gaza and deliver aid. Reports indicate that detained activists have faced mistreatment, and they were transferred to Ketziot Prison in Israel.
The Bangladesh interim government is closely monitoring efforts to secure Alam’s release, with Turkish authorities providing diplomatic support and hoping to fly him to Ankara soon. Bangladesh embassies in Jordan, Egypt, and Turkey are actively engaged in this effort.The Freedom Flotilla Coalition condemns the interception as a violation of international law and calls for the immediate release of detainees, an end to the blockade, and humanitarian access to Gaza
Video by:
Saniya Shezfa Zunnurine Subhani
Anzir Chowdhury Prisha
#StandWithGaza
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#BreakIsraelsSiege
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