'What was Khadija's fault?'

A group of students from several universities held a torch procession this evening on Dhaka University campus against Digital Security Act (DSA) and demanded the release of Khadijatul Kubra, a student of political science at Jagannath University.

Khaijda was arrested on August 27 last year after police pressed charges against her in two cases filed under DSA around two and half years ago.

At least fifteen students brought out the torch procession from TSC. It reached the Shahbagh intersection and returned to TSC without any resistance.

Dhaka University student Megh Mollar Bashu said, "We are being arrested for expressing our opinions. We are continuously fighting against the act [DSA]. We will continue our protest. But we don't know whether the Act will be abolished at all.

This Act was formed to ensure our security, the student said, adding, instead it became a tool of oppression.

"This Act was formed terming it as 'security' but it doesn't mean actual security for the public ... Actually it gives more security to those who are corrupted. It raises insecurity for those who raise their voices against the corrupt.

"What was Khadija's fault? She was not arrested for giving a speech. She was arrested as she hosted a webinar where a participant urged people to raise their voices against the illegal government."

Prapti Taposhi, a student of economics at Jahangirnagar University, said, "Khadija did not get bail although she has been suffering from kidney problems. We don't know what's Khadija's fault."

Khadija was sued as an adult when she was actually 17 years old in 2020.

Her crime was hosting a Facebook webinar where a guest speaker made contentious remarks.

The student has already been denied bail several times by a Dhaka court.