Writer’s death in jail sparks clashes in Dhaka, Bangladesh

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DHAKA, 28 February, 2021, (TON): Hundreds of people in Bangladesh took part Saturday in a second day of demonstrations sparked by the death of a prominent writer and government critic in jail at a high security prison in a case that has drawn international concern. 

Police in Bangla­desh baton charged and fired tear gas at hundreds of students demonstrating in the capital.   
Protesters marched at the University of Dhaka chanting slogans condemning the government's treatment of Mushtaq Ahmed as well as other dissident writers, journalist.  

At least 10 people suffered minor injuries in the clashes with police, a witness said, amid growing demands for an independent investigation into the death of Mushtaq Ahmed. 

Witness saw police lashing out with batons and firing tear gas rounds at students calling for “justice” near Dhaka University. 

Demonstrators demanded the scrapping of Bangladesh's hardline Digital Security Act (DSA) under which Ahmed was imprisoned. The law has been used to crack down on dissent since it was enacted in 2018. 

The 53-year-old, Bangladeshi writer died in jail 9 months after his arrest for ‘anti-government’ social media posts. 

Jail authorities said Ahmed died on Thursday after passing out at a high-security jail outside of Dhaka. He had not been suffering from a major illness, according to prison chief Mohammad Ghiasuddin. 

Ahmed’s lawyer demanded an independent inquiry into the death. 

Rights organisations have demanded an inquiry into Mushtaq Ahmed’s death and called for repealing the Digital Security Act, under which he was arrested. 

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