Amnesty International (AI) yesterday called on the Bangladeshi authorities to immediately drop the charges against Dileep Roy, general secretary of Biplobi Chhatra Moitri of Rajshahi University unit.

Dileep was arrested by police on August 28 after allegedly making derogatory comments about Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Facebook.

AI urged the authorities to stop harassing, charging and imprisoning the activists who “have done nothing but peacefully exercise their right to freedom of expression”.

It also urged to repeal section 57 of the ICT Act and other laws that are not “compatible with Bangladesh's international human rights obligations”.