Dhaka, Oct. 8 -- Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam on Wednesday demanded the immediate release of Shahidul Alam, a world-renowned photographer and human rights activist and all others from the flotilla.

"Shahidul stands as a shining embodiment of the unyielding spirit of Bangladesh. May Allah protect and keep Shahidul and the rest of the team safe," he said, UNB reports.

"Our hearts and prayers are with Shahidul Alam," the Press Secretary said.

In a Facebook post, he shared that the flotilla he is aboard has been intercepted at sea and that he and his fellow travelers have been "kidnapped by the Occupation Forces of Israel."

"The extraordinary courage and resilience that sustained Shahidul during his imprisonment under the...