Amidst a sombre mood, they demanded resignation of Home Minister Altaf Hossain for failure to ensure people's safety.

At a largely attended rally on the campus yesterday, they condemned the attack on writer and linguist Humayan Azad and demanded immediate arrest and stern action against persons involved in the incident.

Speakers at the rally viewed the attack on Azad as an onslaught on free-thinking and called for united resistance against such an unhealthy trend.

Unidentified assailants stabbed and critically injured Humayan Azad, also professor Bangla at the DU, with butcher's knives in front of Bangla Academy on Wednesday night.

The rally held at the foot of Aparajeya Bangla was addressed by a number of teachers and students.

Eminent jurist and Gano Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain also addressed the rally.

A procession was brought out later, which marched to the spot where the Humayun was Azad was attacked. Participants placed flowers placed flowers there.

The agitated students assaulted a police official for their failure to nab the attackers.

The procession then moved to the Central Shaheed Minar where a brief rally was held. The rally demanded immediate resignation of the home minister.

The DU students and teachers will also bring out a procession wearing black arm bands and badges, form a human chain and stage a demonstration on the campus today at 11:00am to press their demands.

Addressing the rally, AAMS Arefin Siddique, president of Dhaka University Teacher's Association, said, the attack on Azad is an attack on free-thinking and secularism. He demanded quick action against the elements involved.

Former DU vice chancellor AK Azad Chowdhury said a lawmaker's provocative speech in parliament on the free thoughts of Azad encouraged the attackers.

Prof Sirajul Islam Chowdhury said writers, journalists, teachers and others are being oppressed but no-one is being brought to justice for this. Rather, the persons responsible are getting shelter from powerful quarters and are moving freely, he regretted.

Others who addressed the rally included Prof Ahmed Kamal, Prof Harun-ur-Rashid, Dr Qudrat-e- Khuda and SM Lutfur Rahman.

Kamal Hossain said unbelievable incidents are taking place one after another. What happened to Azad is an onslaught on constitutional rights of people.

He regretted that certain quarters are resorting to criminal activities and corruption in the name religion.

"Politics in this country has become unhealthy due to lack of respect for human rights. But people have now started to stand up against such politics," the legal expert noted.

Meanwhile, different student bodies and cultural organisations also brought out processions and held rallies on the DU campus yesterday demanding immediate arrest and punishment of the attackers.

They also demanded resignation of the home minister.

Addressing a rally at the Teacher Student Centre (TSC), Sammilita Sangskritic Jote leaders blamed fundamentalists and extremists for incidents like the attack on Aazd since independence.

The jote also formed a human chain on the Bangla Academy premises.

Chaired by President of the jote Nasir Uddin Yusuf Baschu, the rally was addressed by Golam Kuddus, Mamunur Rashid, Muhammad Samad, Asaduzzaman Noor MP and Justice KM Sobhan.

The Dhaka University Sangskritik Okkya (DUSO), a cultural body, also protested the attack.

Publishers taking part at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair also staged a protest rally on the Bangla Academy premises. Speakers called for resisting the fundamentalists across the country.

The student bodies which held separate rallies and processions included ruling BNP-backed Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, the Awami League's student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League, left-leaning Bangladesh Chhatra Union, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front and Jatiya Chhatra Dhara.