Photographers and rights activists have demonstrated in Dhaka on Tuesday, the 100th day of imprisonment of renowned photographer Shahidul Alam and demanded his release.
They pressed their demand at a rally in front of the city’s National Museum on Tuesday (Nov 13).
Marking the day, according to a statement issued by Drik Picture Library, 34 eminent South Asian personalities including actress Aparna Sen and Shabana Azmi, poet Sankha Ghosh, writer Arundhati Roy, photographers Raghu Rai, Manjushree Thapa and Kanak Mani Dixit, filmmaker Buddhadeb Dasgupta, dancer Akram Khan and singer Moushumi Bhowmik also appealed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for Shahidul’s release.
Rights activist Khushi Kabir slammed arbitrary arrest of Shahidul for 100 days.
Kabir said, “As a citizen of the country I’ve lost my right to get justice ... The government has wanted us to understand not to speak or face consequence.”
“If you (government) took one of us from here we will not stop. Rather we will be more vocal (to protest),” she warned.
Munem Wasif said, “In a country, one can differ in opinion with another. We become independent so we can speak if we differ with the state.
“For what it’s worth if we can’t speak freely even after such long time of the independence,” he said.
Citing eminent people including Nobel laureates’ call for Shahidul’s release, Wasif said, “These calls haven’t apparently reach their (government) ears but 100 days have been passed today (Tuesday).
“A Shahidul Alam comes through a lot of struggles that we don’t want to understand. When we’ll lose him time (to understand) will pass by then,” said Wasif, who teaches photography at Dhaka’s Pathshala South Asian Media Institute.
Professor of Jahangirnagar University Anu Muhammad said, “We’ve seen president grants clemency to murder convicts, who await execution and it has happened many times.
“Don’t delay anymore, take the responsibility of Shahidul’s imprisonment for 100 days and release him by tomorrow,” Anu, member secretary of National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources, Power and Ports, urged the government.
Alam’s wife Rehnuma Ahmed, actress Banna Mirza, Taslima Akter, Tanzim Wahab, among others, participated in the demonstration.