60 eminent citizens demand Fakhrul's release

Sixty eminent citizens including former and current teachers of various universities have demanded release of imprisoned BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

In a joint statement released today, expressing concern over refusal of his bail, the signatories stated that they have come to know from family sources that Mirza Fakhrul is ill and doctors have advised him to go abroad for treatment.

"We, friends and well-wishers of Mirza Alamgir are concerned about his wellbeing," the statement said.

The signatories said Mirza Alamgir is in politics to strengthen the democratic structure of the country. They demand his release to strengthen and accelerate the process of moving the country towards democracy.

Mirza Fakhrul was picked up from his home around 3:00am on December 9, a day before BNP's Dhaka divisional mass rally. He was shown arrested on charges of provoking party activists to attack police.

Since then, Mirza Fakhrul has been denied bail at least four times by the lower courts concerned in the case.

The signatories include: writer, researcher and left-wing politician Badruddin Umar, Professor Emeritus Sirajul Islam Chowdhury, Prof Anwarullah Chowdhury, Prof Abul Kashem Fazlul Haque, Prof Mahbub Ullah, Prof Wahiduddin Mahmud, Prof Ahmed Kamal, Prof Saidur Rahman, Prof Anu Muhammad, Prof Sadrul Amin, Prof ATM Nurul Amin, Prof Syed Abul Kalam Azad, Prof Akmal Hossain, Prof Yusuf Haider, Prof Tajmeri Islam, Prof Chowdhury Abrar, Prof Tasnim Siddiqui, Professor Dilara Chowdhury, Prof Tanzim Uddin Khan, Prof ABM Obaidul Islam, Prof Md Abdus Salam, Prof MA Majid, Prof Md Mohiuddin, Prof Mamun Ahmed, Prof Akhter Hossain Khan, Prof Abdur Rashid, Prof Yearul Kabir, Prof Abul Kalam Sarkar, Prof Dil Rowshan Zinnat Ara Nazneen, Dr Saidur Rahman Pannu, Dr Fazlul Haque, Dr Amjad Hossain, Prof Shahed Zaman, Dr Motiar Rahman, Dr Habibur Rahman, Dr Rezaul Karim, former Bangladesh Bank governor Saleh Uddin Ahmed, former World Health Organization regional adviser Mazharul Haque, former managing director of Agrani Bank Naser Bakhtiar and former ambassador Sirajul Islam.