A force active behind govt to suppress opposition: Mirza Fakhrul
Various organisations staged demonstrations demanding that the Digital Security Act be repealed
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said a terrible force is working behind the government to wipe out those opposing the government.
He made the allegation at a discussion meeting at Dhaka Reporters' Unity, in Segunbagicha in the capital, on Saturday morning. The event was organised by Bangladesh Chhatra Forum and Uttaranchal Chhatra Forum, to mark the 15th day of BNP Acting-Chairman Tarique Rahman's imprisonment.
Meanwhile, various organisations staged demonstrations on Saturday, also in the capital, protesting the custodial death of writer Mushtaq Ahmed and demanding that the Digital Security Act be repealed.
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Mirza Fakhrul said, "The statement made by cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore coming out of jail shows that a terrible force, acting behind the government, is inflicting inhuman torture to wipe out those whoever opposes the government, or the head of state."
He said, "Writer Mushtaq Ahmed was detained for months just on charges of writing, while Kishore was brutally tortured for months just for drawing cartoons."
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Organising Secretary Shyama Obayed and Legal Affairs Secretary Kaiser Kamal, among others, also addressed the meeting.
Earlier in the morning, at a protest rally organised by Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal, BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas said, "What is digital law? Digital Bangladesh is a good thing; but what is digital law? We are being jailed under the digital act. We cannot talk anymore."
Addressing the protest rally in front of the National Press Club, he said, "We want independence. We want the guarantee of the normal life of the people of the country. We want a guarantee of normal death."
Swachchasebak Dal Acting President Mustafizur Rahman, BNP Standing Committee Member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, BNP Joint Secretary General Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, and Swachchasebak Dal General Secretary Abdul Quader Bhuiyan Jewel, among others, spoke at the protest rally.
Meanwhile, Gonoshasthaya Kendra Trustee Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury said, "Amending the Digital Security Act will be a farce. No amendment, this black law called digital security must be repealed before 26 March."
He raised the demand at a human chain in front of the National Press Club, organised by the National Democratic Party, demanding that the Digital Security Act be repealed.
Zafrullah Chowdhury said no action was taken against bank robbers and stock market looters, but about 1,000 people have been imprisoned under the Digital Security Act.
"How can drawing a cartoon can harm the government?" he exclaimed.
In the afternoon, Jubo Gano Forum – an associate organization of Gano Forum (Mostafa Mohsin Montu faction) – formed a human chain in front of the National Press Club, protesting the death of Mushtaq Ahmed and demanding the Digital Security Act be scrapped.
