Over 100 eminent citizens blast demands to cancel Prothom Alo's declaration

Over 100 eminent citizens of the country have said demands of cancellation of declaration of Prothom Alo made by a certain quarter over a subjudice matter is tantamount to attacks on freedom of press and journalism.

They said this at a joint statement issued on Sunday.

“Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman and staff correspondent Samsuzzaman have recently secured bail in a case filed under the Digital Security Act over publishing a news on the daily. The allegation brought against them in the case is under trial and yet to be proved. But we have noticed a certain quarter has been demanding the daily’s declaration be cancelled based on a fabricated allegation that the newspaper published untrue and ill motivated news," the statement reads.

“This act does not only go against Prothom Alo but also it’s tantamount to attacking the freedom of press and journalism of the country. We think none having respect to democracy, human rights and free thinking can be an initiator or supporter of clamping down on the media,” the statement adds.

“We, citizens who believe in freedom of media, strongly criticise any move to stifle the voice of media. We also urge authorities to abolish the Digital Security Act and safeguard freedom of expression and freedom of media.”

The signatories also requested people to raise their voice to ensure freedom of media.

The citizens who issued the statement are:

Professor Abul Kashem Fazlul Haque, Professor Emeritus Serajul Islam Choudhury, Pofessor Anwarullah Chowdhury, Former Vice-Chancellor, Dhaka University; ZI Khan Panna, senior advocate of Supreme Court, Farida Akhtar, chairperson of Narigrantha Prabartana; Economist Anu Muhammad; Badiul Alam Majumdar, general secretary, Sujan; Khushi Kabir, women and human rights activist, Iftekharuzzaman, executive director, TIB; Asif Nazrul, writer and teacher, Dhaka University; Syeda Rizwana Hasan, advocate of Supreme Court; Nurul Alam Atique, filmmaker; Manosh Chowdhury, teacher of Jahangirnagar University; Saydia Gulrukh, journalist and researcher; Moshahida Sultana Ritu, teacher of Dhaka University; Professor Tanzim Uddin Khan, teacher of Dhaka University, Professor Saleh Hasan Naqib, department of physics, Rajshahi University; Professor Mahbub Hossain, teacher, BRAC University; Professor Kamrul Ahsan, department of Philosophy, Jahangirnagar University; Professor Md Jamal Uddin, department of environmental science, Jahangirnagar University; Professor Iftikharul Alam Masud, department of arabic, Rajshahi University; Professor SM Nasrul Quader, department of finance, University of Chittagong; Maidul Islam, associate professor, department of sociology, University of Chittagong, Manjure Khoda, author researcher, York University, Canada; Zahed Arman, lecturer, department of communication media and performance, Framingham State University, USA; Mohsin Rashid, senior advocate of Supreme Court; Mutasim Billah Nasir, lecturer, department of archaeology, Comilla University; Tokon Thaakoor, Poet; Chanchal Ashraf, poet and fiction writer; Arup Rahee, artist; Firoz Ahmed, politician; Ashfaque Nipun, filmmaker; Shyamal Shishir, filmmaker; Dipankar Das, proprietor of Baatighar; Saimum Parvez, teacher, North South University; Qadaruddin Shishir, Bangladesh FactCheck Editor, AFP, Kallol Mustafa, researcher and activist; Parvez Alam, writer and activist; Faham Abdus Salam, author; Jolly Talukdar, politician; Afsana Begum, fiction writer; Zia Hassan, writer and researcher; Baki Billah, activist; Luna Rushdi, writer and translator; Alvi Ahmed, fiction writer and translator; Shamsul Huda, executive director ALRD; Umme Farhana, writer and teacher; Mahfuza Mala, women's rights activist;  Bithy Soptorshi, writer and journalist; Hamim Kamrul Haque, fiction writer; Salehin Shipra, poet; Masood Kamal, senior journalist; GH Habib, teacher and translator; Saida Akhtar, director of Narigrantha Probortona; Prasun Rahman, filmmaker; Ahmed Swapan Mahmud, poet and essayist; Dhrubo Sadiq, essayist and journalist; Snigdha Rezwana, teacher of Jahangirnagar University; Fatama Sultana Suvra, teacher of Jagannath University; Muiz Mahfuz, poet and singer; Gazi Tanzia, fiction writer; Papri Rahman, fiction writer; Amal Akash, singer; Mahbub Morshed, fiction writer and journalist;  Salah Uddin Shuvro, fiction writer and journalist; Mahabub Rahman, Publisher of Adarsha; Ehsan Mahmood, fiction writer and journalist; Krishnokoli Islam, artist; AH Chanchal, artist; Zeeshan Mohsen, advocate, Bangladesh Supreme Court; Nure Ershad Siddiqi, advocate, Bangladesh Supreme Court; Tajul Islam, advocate, Bangladesh Supreme Court; Zubair Ahmed Bhuiyan, advocate, Bangladesh Supreme Court; Asaduzzaman Fuad, lawyer and politician; Kamal Uddin Sabuj, former president, National Press Club; Syed Abdal Ahmad, writer and former general secretary, National Press Club; Elias Khan, former general secretary, National Press Club; M Abdullah, president, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists;  Shahidul Islam, general secretary, Dhaka Journalists Union; Zafar Sadiq, organizer and debater; Rozina Begum, rights activist and researcher; Sultan Mohammed Zakaria, Bangladesh and Pakistan Specialist, Amnesty International USA; Aneek and Haque; Rezaur Rahman Lenin, human rights activist; Dilshana Parul, writer and activist; Ariful Islam Adeeb, Member, Bangladesh Intellectual Network; Zafar Mahmood, convener of Peshajibi Adhikar Parishad; Nasreen Sultana Mily, women's organizer and human rights activist; Nusrat Jahan, activist and cultural activist; Abdul Hye Sikder, poet; Faiz Ahmad Tayyab, engineer and writer on sustainable development; Maruf Mallick, writer and political analyst; Shawkat Hossain, poet and editor of Halkhata; Arshad Siddiqui, essayist and researcher;  Rabiul Karim Mridul, writer and literary; Zakaria Polash, author and researcher; Sohel Rana, writer and analyst; Shimul Salahuddin, poet and journalist; Tuhin Khan, writer and activist; Ferdous Ara Rumee, writer and women's rights activist; Mahbub Aziz, poet and journalist; Raju Alauddin, poet and translator; Bonna Mirza, actress; MA Aziz, former secretary general Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists; Professor Khalikuzzaman Elias; Ranak Zaman, poet and translator; Bayezid Bostami, poet and composer; Helal Mohiuddin, writer and teacher; Rawshan Jamil, translator and writer, poet and journalist Faruk Wasif and Mahbub Aziz;  writer and activist Sohul Ahmed; director Zayed Siddiki; writer and researcher ATM Golam Kibria; writer and activist Rakhal Rah; writer and journalist Tonmoy Imran; litterateur  Wasi Ahmed; director Khandaker Sumon; Dhaka University teacher Mohammad Azam and lawyer Mohammad Naboyan Pervez.