Left-leaning students stage a protest against the death of writer Mushtaq Ahmed in jail at Shahbag in the city on Saturday — FE photo The leaders and activists of several left parties continued staging protests at Shahbagh area on the Dhaka University (DU) campus for the second consecutive day on Saturday, demanding justice for writer Mushtaq Ahmed's death in police custody.
Protesters also demanded the repeal of the Digital Security Act, unconditional release of those, picked up from the procession on Friday, and withdrawal of the cases filed against them. Otherwise, the leaders said, they would go for tougher movement.
Hundreds of leaders and activists of Socialist Students' Front, Bangladesh Students' Union, Socialist Students' Front (Marxist), and Students Federation of Bangladesh took part in the protest.
They also brought out processions separately from the Teacher-Student Centre (TSC) and paraded several streets on the DU campus. Later, they gathered at Shahbagh area and held a brief rally there.
Al Kaderi Joy, convener of the left-leaning alliance Progressive Students' Alliance, also president of Socialist Students' Front, protested the police action on the demonstrators and demanded immediate release of the detained fellow activists.
He demanded the government repeal the Digital Security Act as soon as possible. Police filed a case against seven people picked up from the torch procession on Friday.
Sub-inspector of Shahbagh Police Station Md Mintu Miah filed the case against Md Tamjid Haider (22), Nozir Amir Chowdhury Joy (27), ASM Tanjimur Rahman (22), Md Akib Ahmed (22), Md Arafat Saad (24), Nazifa Jannat (24) and Joyoti Chakravarty (23).
Mushtaq Ahmed, who was arrested under the Digital Security Act, died at Kashimpur High-Security Jail-3 in Gazipur on Thursday.
FE correspondent adds: Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) has voiced concern over the death of Mushtaq Ahmed in custody and called for repealing the Digital Security Act.
TIB in a press statement on Saturday said the government handed over a 'tool' to so-called influential quarter to oppress dissidents.
"The death of Mushtaq proves that the government doesn't have courage to accept criticism."
TIB demanded that all the departments and perpetrators responsible for the death of writer Mushtaq should be brought to book.
TIB executive director Dr Iftekharuzzaman in the statement said criticizing the government and its policies is the right of the citizens.
"It is not an offence in any civilized society," he added.
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