JU Correspondent

Jahangirnagar University Journalists’ Association (JUJA) on Thursday staged human chain on the campus demanding scrapping of Digital Security Act (DSA) and release of Prothom Alo journalist Shamsuzzaman Shams who was sued under the DSA and sent to jail.

Over hundred journalists, teachers and progressive students formed the human chain around 3:00pm at the university central Shaheed Minar premises adjacent to the roadside.

Addressing the human chain, JUJA President Belal Hossen said, "Law enforcement agencies arresting journalists at midnight is an indication of the establishment's fascist mentality. That line of thinking promoted the power structure to impose the Digital Security Act."

History department Professor Anichha Parvin Jolly said, “I feel so bad for Shamsuzzaman's mother, Karimmunnessa, who lost his eldest son while serving the state and another son who was picked up by some plain clothes men and held dead of night. This is the name of independence; such independence must be questioned.”

“Shams has done the right thing if independence means freedom of speech, free movement, and freedom of living. But a group of journalists who always serve the purposes of the government in the name of journalism never stand by the masses,” she added.

Government and Politics department Professor Shamsul Alam said, "Respect for the opinions of others is a key pillar of democracy. However, we are observing a significant increase in commodity prices, but we have no right to say that enough. Everyone is being intimidated by the imprisonment of Shamsuzzaman. This fascism must be stopped."

President of JU unit of Bangladesh Chhatra Odhikar Parishad Zahir Faisal said, "Shamsuzzaman was picked up for reporting on Independence Day. We want to say, is Ayub Khan's rule going on in the country or not? If not, why was a journalist picked up to report on Independence Day? We want the release of Shamsuzzaman immediately."

JUJA General Secretary Alkama Azad conducted the human chain. Professor Nazrul Islam, Professor Borhan Uddin, Professor Rakib Hasan, Professor Uzzal Mondal, JU Chhatra Union Secretary Amartya Roy, assistant general secretary of Jahangirnagar Cultural Alliance Taposhi Dey Prapti, among others, spoke at the human chain.

Meanwhile, Dhaka's Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s court on Thursday sent Samsuzzaman Shams to jail after denying his bail in a DSA case.