Dhaka, Aug 24 – Artistes and cultural activists on Sunday demanded immediate release of photojournalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol who has been languishing in jail in cases filed under the Digital Security Act.They formed a human chain to press home their demand and staged street plays at the Central Shaheed Minar premises in Dhaka University campus in the afternoon.
Kajol had gone missing on March 10, a day after he along with 30 others was sued by the ruling party lawmaker Saifuzzaman Shikhor under the DSA.
He remained missing for 53 days, during which his young family, led by son Monorom Polok’s determination and youthful verve, refused to let Kajol’s case fade from the national discourse or conscience.
Finally on May 3rd, they had their reward in the form of another sighting of Kajol alive, after BGB detained him near the Benapole border in Jashore, ridiculously charged with ‘trespassing into Bangladesh’.
He was sent to jail the same day of course, but this time at least it was a judge who sent him there. And this time the family know where he is, always. Recently he was shifted to Dhaka Central Jail in Keraniganj.
Now demanding his father’s immediate release (whereas the previous phase of the movement centred #Where is Kajol?), his son called the programme. Responding to the call, performance artiste Wali Topu, theatre artiste Jayita Mahalanobish, and singer Shainur Shuvo, alongside many others, came forward and took part in the protest programme.
Besides, a choir performance, written and composed by Farzana Wahid Shayan, took place with participation of around 12 artistes.
Popular theatre troupes Prachyanat and Theatre 52 staged the plays. – UNB
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