A Head Teacher from Pirojpur was arrested for having a copy of Taslima Nasreen’s ‘Lajja’ in the school’s library.

He was later released on bail.

20 human rights activists, academics and members of the civil society signed a petition to demand that all charges against the Head Teacher be dropped.

12 January, 2012
Press Release

We, the undersigned strongly protest the arrest of Mr. Yunus Ali, the Head Teacher of KC Technical and Business Management College of Pirojpur, on 4 January, 2012. Mr. Ali was arrested for allegedly having kept a copy of writer Taslima Nasreen’s novel “Lajja” (“Shame”) in the college library. This arrest is a clear breach of the right to freedom of speech and shows the presence of a broad range of communal and generally reactionary forces in our society.

We believe that the banning of books clearly violates the right to freedom of thought and expression, which constitutes one of the essential foundations of a democratic and pluralistic society during the information age of the 21st century and is enshrined in the Constitution of Bangladesh. [1]

Dissenting ideas and opinions should be faced through a healthy debate, not censorship and arrest. A state’s weakness, intolerance and imprudence are revealed when a literary work is banned in this manner.

Only a tolerant, secular and democratic atmosphere will ensure maximum participation of everyone in public life, enrich our culture and maintain the spirit of the Liberation War. On this basis, we demand that all charges against Head Teacher Mr. Yunus Ali be immediately dropped.

Signed by:
Sultana Kamal, Executive Director, Ain O Salish Kendro
Hameeda Hossain, Chairperson, Human Rights Activist
Khushi Kabir, Coordinator, Nijera Kori
M. Zafar Iqbal, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology
Anu Mohammad, Jahangirnagar University
Gitiara Nasreen, Dhaka University
Sonia Amin, Dhaka University
Ferdousi Priyobhashini, Human Rights Activist
Sara Hossain, Advocate, Supreme Court
Dina Siddiqi, Hunter College, New York
Meghna Guhathakurta, Research Initiatives Bangladesh
Bina D’ Costa, The Graduate Institute, Geneva
Shapan Adnan, Independent Scholar
Zakir Kibria, Solidarity Workshop
Faustina Pereira, Advocate, Supreme Court
Robaet Ferdous, Dhaka University
Asif Saleh
Jyoti Rahman, Editor, Drishtipat Writers’ Collective
Sultana Begum, Human Rights Activist
Khodeja Sultana, Human Rights Activist

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[1] Article 39 (Freedom of thought and conscience, and of speech) says “Freedom of thought and conscience is guaranteed” and that “the right of every citizen of freedom of speech and expression; and freedom of the press, are guaranteed”.