Writer Mushtaq Ahmed dies in Kashimpur jail

Writer Mushtaq Ahmed, who was arrested under the Digital Security Act for allegedly posting anti-government write-ups on social media Facebook, has died at the Kashimpur jail in Gazipur.

Brigadier General Md Mominur Rahman Mamun, Inspector General (IG) of Prisons, confirmed it to The Business Standard.

Prison authorities said Mushtaq fell sick inside the highly secured prison on Thursday evening. He was first taken to the jail hospital. Later he was sent to Gazipur Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital where the on-duty doctor declared him dead.

The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore and writer Mushtaq Ahmed from Kakrail and Lalmatia on May 5 under the Digital Security Act for posting anti-government posts on Facebook.

On May 5 last year, RAB-3 warrant officer Abu Bakar Siddique filed the case with Ramna Police Station against 11 people, including cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore.

The case statement read that the accused published various posts conveying misinformation and rumours on the Facebook page called 'I am Bangladeshi' to tarnish the image or reputation of the state or to spread confusion. Which creates confusion among the people and degrades the law and order situation in the country.

Although two people were released on bail in that case, the bail applications of Mushtaq and Kishore were rejected six times.