Journos’ token hunger strike tomorrow demanding Probir’s release

A Faridpur court today granted bail to journalist Probir Sikdar a day after he was taken into three-day police custody for questioning. Photo taken from his facebook account.

Agitating journalists will observe a token hunger strike tomorrow in front of the Jatiya Press Club in Dhaka demanding release of journalist Probir Sikdar.

The three-hour hunger strike will begin at 11:00am.

Editor of daily Bangla 71, Sikdar is facing charge under the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act.

Journalists under the platform ‘Bikkubdha Sangbadik Somaj’ made the announcement criticising three-day remand in a case filed against Probir for “tarnishing the image” of LGRD Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain.

“Probir Sikdar should be released immediately, instead of being placed on remand, given his physical condition and the sacrifices of his family during the Liberation War,” said Quddus Afrad, general secretary of Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ).

Among others, journalists Altaf Mahmud and Ashish Kumar Dey spoke at the occasion.

Probir, also the editor of an online news portal u71news.com was picked up by detectives on Sunday evening from his office in the capital, after Faridpur local Awami League leader Swapan Kumar Paul filed the case on Sunday following a Facebook post of Sikdar.

In the post, he said his life was under threat and that the minister, businessman Moosa bin Shamser and condemned fugitive war criminal Abul Kalam Azad would be responsible if he were killed, police said.