Cartoonist, writer arrested for over anti-govt posters

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has arrested cartoonist Ahmed Kabir Kishore and writer Mushtaq Ahmed for allegedly making various cartoon, posters criticising the government's role during the coronavirus situation.

Confirming the matter to media, Sheikh Muhammad Shamim, assistant commissioner of Ramna police station said, "RAB-3 detained them from the capital and handed over to the Ramna Police station."

The elite police unit apprehended Kishore from Kakrail while Mushtaq was arrested from his home in Lalmatia on Tuesday.

The case was started by Deputy Assistant Director Zahirul Islam of RAB-3 and implicates 11 people, said Ramna Police OC Monirul Islam.

The arrestees were later sent to jail on Wednesday but police have not sought their remand.

Kishore, who introduced himself as a political cartoonist, posted several cartoons and posters on his Facebook account "Ami Kishore", criticising the government over the coronavirus situation. Mushtaq also shared some of Kishore's cartoons on his Facebook profile.

Mushtaq who writes under the pen name "Michel Kumir Thakur", was critical of the "poor management in tackling the Covid-19 situation and the government" on social media.

He wrote a book titled "Kumir Chasher Diary" which was published in November 2018 and was working on another book.