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Published : 10 Mar 2026, 11:35 PM
A group of 156 prominent citizens, including academics, writers, and rights activists, have called for the immediate and unconditional release of former Slogan 71 leader Sk Tasnim Afroz Emi and two others.
The list of signatories includes prominent figures such as teachers Anu Muhammad, Khaliquzzaman Elias, Azfar Hussain, Kamrul Hassan Mamun, and Rayhan Rhyne; writers and activists Ahmad Mostofa Kamal, Firoz Ahmed, and Arup Rahee; and filmmakers and artists Nurul Alam Atique, Khijir Hayat Khan, and Karishma Sanu Sovvota.
In a joint statement issued on Tuesday, the signatories expressed grave concern over the arrest of the two students under the Anti-Terrorism Act after they played the historic Mar 7 speech at Shahbagh.
Emi is a former VP of Dhaka University’s Shamsunnahar Hall Union, while Abdul Al Mamun is a current student of the university.
The statement alleged that Emi and Mamun were targeted by a violent mob outside the Shahbagh police station for broadcasting the historic March 7 speech, recognised by UNESCO as a world documentary heritage.
"Despite the elected government’s commitment to establishing the rule of law, we saw a criminal mob attempt to beat Emi and Mamun to death in front of Shahbagh police. Instead of restraining the attackers, the police arrested the victims," the statement read.
The citizens questioned whether broadcasting a historic speech could be defined as "terrorist activity" under the Anti-Terrorism Act 2009.
They argued that the law is being misused to suppress voices.
The signatories highlighted that both detainees were active participants in the July mass uprising against the previous autocratic regime.
The 156 citizens urged the government to take legal action against those who instigated the mob violence instead of penalising the victims.
They also called for a comprehensive reform of the "Hasina-era" Anti-Terrorism Act to ensure accountability and prevent its use as a tool for political harassment.
