Students from different universities and progressive students’ organisations on Sunday demanded immediate release of cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore and writer Mushtaq Ahmed, who are now in jail in cases under the Digital Security Act.
They also demanded withdrawal of all the charges against the two in a cartoon exhibition and protest rally at the central Shaheed Minar on Dhaka University campus in the capital.
The protesters also expressed their solidarity to the two Khulna University students expelled for raising their voices for the cause of the students.
Dhaka University public administration department student Shoili Akhanda conducted the programme, presided over by law student Kazi Rakib Hossain.
Bangladesh Student’s Union central president Foez Ullah, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front’s DU president Salman Siddique, Bangladesh Students’ Federation central general secretary Zahid Sujon, cartoonist and BSU DU unit joint secretary Zahid Jamil, among others, also spoke expressing solidarity.
In May 2020, the police detained cartoonist Kishore and writer Mushtaq in their Dhaka residences, accusing them of ‘spreading rumours and misinformation on Facebook about the COVID-19 situation and criticising the government’s method of containing the situation.’