Publisher killing: Booksellers to observe strike Monday

Booksellers have decided to refrain from selling books across the country from tomorrow morning to afternoon protesting the attacks on two publishers in Dhaka.

They will resume their businesses after 2:00pm, a press release of the Bangladesh Book Publishers and Sellers Samity (BBPSS) said today.

The organisation declared the strike following a meeting with Alamgir Shikder, president of its central committee, in the chair.

Besides, the BBPSS will hoist black flag at their head office at Banglabazar in Dhaka for three days from tomorrow.

The other programmes for tomorrow include wearing black badges, bringing out silent procession, submitting memorandum to the deputy commissioner of Dhaka and staging a sit-in in front of the Jatiya Press Club, the release reads.

At a demonstration rally in front of the book market where new generation of writers and readers gather, the leaders of businessmen declared that the shops will remain closed today and tomorrow in protest against the killing of Faisal Arefin Dipan, owner of Jagriti Prokashani in Dhaka.

Chanting slogans, around 200 demonstrators came down to the Elephant Road near to the Shahbagh intersection and started the rally at Shahbagh around 12:30pm, which continued for 20 minutes, halting transport movement.

The killers of Dipan should be brought to justice, Kamal Hossain, treasurer of Aziz Cooperative Society Ltd.

In one of the slogans -– “Amar bhai morlo keno? Proshashon jobab chai” -- they demanded an explanation from the authorities on the murder.

Faisal Arefin Dipan, owner of Jagriti Prokashani, was stabbed to death at his office on the second-floor of Aziz Super Market in the capital’s Shahbagh area yesterday.

The attack came hours after Ahmedur Rashid Tutul, proprietor of Shuddhoswar, bloggers Tareque Rahim and Ranadipam Basu came under machete attacks at the Lalmatia office of Shuddhoswar. Tareque was also shot in the chest.