49 eminent personalities demand unconditional release of Pritam Das

Forty-nine eminent personalities of the country have demanded immediate and unconditional release of those arrested under Digital Security Act, including Pritam Das, and also withdrawal of the cases against them.

"Pritam Das can't be unnecessarily harassed and tortured through remand," they said.

In the statement issued today, they said that freedom of speech and expression must be ensured by immediately repealing "oppressive laws such as Digital Security Act".

Police arrested Pritom Das, a leader of left-leaning organisation Rashtra Sangskar Andolan, in a case filed under the DSA on September 4 for allegedly hurting religious sentiments. The case was filed by Mahbub Alam Bhuiyan, an activist of Bangladesh Chhatra League.

The distinguished personalities, in their statement, further said, "On August 27, 2022, a section of the local Chhatra League attacked the Rashtra Sangskar Andolan's movement in Srimangal in solidarity with the tea workers' movement demanding wage hike. In protest, the organisation held two press conferences on August 29 and 30 and demanded justice for the attackers. Pritam Das read out the written statements at that press conferences."

"Immediately after the press conference, the local Chhatra League activists made a screenshot of Pritam Das' old Facebook status and accused him of insulting religion in a completely baseless manner."

The eminent personalities include Anu Muhammad, economist and former Professor of Jahangirnagar University; Barrister Sara Hussain, advocate of Supreme Court; Zobaida Nasreen, professor of Department of Anthropology, University of Dhaka; Mirza Taslima Sultana, professor of Department of Anthropology of Jahangirnagar University; and Ainoon Nahar, professor of Department of Anthropology of Jahangirnagar University.