Live Correspondent: The police intercepted some eminent citizens near Hotel Intercontinental in Shahbagh area when they brought out a procession demanding justice for writer Mushtaq Ahmed as he died in police custody, and repealing of the Digital Security Act.

The eminent citizens, under the banner of ‘Nagarik Samabesh,’ gathered in front of the Jatiya Press Club around 11:00am to start their march towards the Prime Minister’s Office.

As they tried to move towards the PMO, the police obstructed them in front of the Hotel Intercontinental by putting up barricades.  Then the protesters held a rally over there.

Gonoshasthaya Kendra founder Zafrullah Chowdhury, Nagarik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna, secretary of Sushashoner Jonno Nagorik Badiul Alam Majumdar, prominent photographer Shahidul Alam were, among others, present at the rally.

Earlier, left-leaning student bodies, including Bangladesh Chhatra Front, Chhatra Federation and Bangladesh Students Rights Protection Council, on Friday and Saturday staged demonstrations on the Dhaka University campus, protesting the death of writer Mushtaq.

Mushtaq, who was arrested in May, 2020, in a case filed under the Digital Security Act with the capital’s Ramna police station, had died in Kashimpur prison recently.

His death in jail drew huge protests at home and abroad with the protesters demanding a trial, the scrapping of the Digital Security Act and the release of the arrested persons under the act.

Dhaka, 03 March (campuslive24.com)//AIT