Hundreds of students, teachers, and civil society members offered Gayebana janaza for writer Mushtaq Ahmed on Friday in front of the National Museum in Shahbagh.
Former Dhaka University Central Students’ Union (Ducsu) Social Welfare Secretary Akhter Hossain led the Gayebana Janaza organized by Chhatra Odhikar Parishad at 4:30pm.
Gonoshasthaya Kendra Founder and Trustee Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, Ganasanghati Andolan's chief co-ordinator Zonayed Saki, DU Law Professor Asif Nazrul, ex-Ducsu vice-president (VP) Nurul Haque Nur, DU international relations Professor Mohammad Tanzimuddin Khan, among others, prayed for the salvation of the departed soul.
Zonayed Saki announced a protest procession towards the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) on March 3.
While speaking at a pre-janaza rally, former Ducsu VP Nur said writer Mushtaq was imprisoned under the Digital Security Act (DSA). "Government wrote this law to control people and the mass media's voice," Nur said.
"Mushtaq's wife was traumatized as the government imprisoned him for so long just for expressing his thoughts. The current government, elected without people's consent, is the murderer of Mushtaq," he added.
Asif Nazrul blamed the government for Mushtaq's custodial death. "Government releases notorious murderers for its own interest but imprisons general civilians like Mushtaq for opposing them."
Gonoshasthaya Kendra Founder and Trustee Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury said: "Prime minister, you are not free also. You can't speak the truth. You are surrounded by detectives like Raw, Mossad and others. If you are involved with this death, you will be punished."
Police baton-charged the left-leaning organization members who were demonstrating at TSC of Dhaka University this evening, over the death of Mushtaq Ahmed.
The incident took place when the protesters brought out a torchlight procession in the area around 7pm.
Police obstructed them and detained some of the protesters from the spot, leading to a clash between two sides.
At one stage, police fired teargas, forcing the protesters to take up positions in front of the central mosque of Dhaka University.
A number of protesters were reportedly injured in the clash.
