National Citizen Party leaders on Tuesday demanded the release of Sathi Akter, Sifat Abdullah and Sajon, who they said had been arrested for criticising the government.
The party also demanded the withdrawal of cases filed against the trio and criticised the government’s handling of law and order.
Speaking at a programme in front of Mohammadpur kitchen market in Dhaka, NCP Member Secretary Akhter Hossen demanded Sathi’s release, withdrawal of the case against her and compensation from the state.
Sathi, owner of Sathi Beauty Parlour, went live on Facebook on Sunday to express anger over repeated thefts at her two showrooms, nearby shops and residential homes.
She questioned the law and order situation and regretted voting for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
Police took her into custody from the Square Masterbari area of Bhaluka upazila in Mymensingh at about 8:00pm on Sunday.
At a separate programme in Gazipur, NCP Convener Nahid Islam demanded the release of Sifat Abdullah, who was arrested in September after criticising an electricity price increase.
Speaking to reporters after a coordination meeting of the party’s Dhaka Division (North) at the Gazipur District Council auditorium, Nahid said Sifat’s remarks did not warrant his arrest under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
‘Sheikh Hasina used this law to suppress the opposition. Tarique Rahman is following the same path,’ he said.
Nahid also demanded the release of Sajon, an NCP member in Sreepur, Gazipur, who he said had been arrested for criticising the government on Facebook.
At the Mohammadpur programme, NCP Senior Joint Convener Hasnat Abdullah demanded the resignation of Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed over the deteriorating law and order situation.
NCP Senior Joint Member Secretary Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain also criticised the government over extortion, theft and robbery.
Nahid demanded the removal of the inspector general of police, saying an apology for the police chief’s recent remarks was insufficient.