Bangladesh
Mushtaq Ahmed Writer Mushtaq Ahmed dies in jail; Leftist student organizations to gherao home ministry
Leftist student organizations have launched a siege on the home ministry on March 1 over the death of imprisoned writer Mushtaq Ahmed. The program was called after a rally and blockade at Shahbagh on Friday (February 26).
Earlier, leaders and activists of leftist student organizations blockaded Shahbagh from 11 am to 12 noon. This caused traffic jam on the road. The road to Shahbag-Sciencelab was completely closed.
The rally demanded the repeal of the Digital Security Act and a proper investigation into the death of writer Mushtaq in prison. Besides, a torch procession of students was announced at the anti-terrorism Raju sculpture of Dhaka University at 6 pm.
Al-Qadiri Joy, central president of the Socialist Student Front, said: "The murder of writer Mushtaq must be brought to justice immediately. The Security Act must be repealed and all writers, columnists, bloggers and others detained under the Digital Security Act must be released immediately."
Meanwhile, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said an inquiry would be held into whether the jail authorities were negligent in the death of writer Mushtaq Ahmed. The Home Minister also remarked that Mushtaq Ahmed used to write defamatory articles against various people.
He said, "There were several cases against him for this. In the latest digital security case filed in 2020, he died while being held at Kashimpur High Security Jail in Gazipur on Thursday (February 25th). However, it will be investigated whether there is any negligence on the part of the jail authorities in his death."
He was responding to a question from reporters after inaugurating the newly constructed office of Chittagong District Police at 12 noon at Sholashahar Gate No. 2 in Chittagong city on Friday (February 26).
Incidentally, Mushtaq Ahmed, 53, a jailed writer under the Digital Security Act, was in the Kashimpur High Security Jail.
He suddenly fell ill inside the jail on Thursday evening. He was first taken to the jail hospital. Later he was sent to Gazipur Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital. The doctor on duty there declared him dead after examination.
Responding to another question from reporters, the Home Minister said, "Legal action will be taken against Bangladeshis involved in the fabrication of Al Jazeera report. The law enforcement agencies are investigating who cooperated in making this false report from Bangladesh. "
