PEN Bangladesh condemns arrest of poet Sohel Hasan Galib, demands his release
PEN Bangladesh has issued a strong condemnation following the arrest of poet Sohel Hasan Galib, who has been jailed on charges of hurting religious sentiments through his social media posts and poetry.
In a statement, PEN Bangladesh urged the interim government to drop all charges against Galib and demanded his immediate release, reaffirming its support for freedom of expression. The organisation emphasised that opinions and ideas should be countered with dialogue and discourse, not by suppressing thought.
Galib was apprehended on 13 February from Fatullah, Narayanganj, by the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Lalbagh Division) under Section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
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The investigating officer of the case produced Galib before the CMM Court in Dhaka and sought a 10-day remand for interrogation. In the remand prayer, the Sub Inspector of Police said that a book titled "Amar Khutba Guli" authored by Sohel Hasan Galib was published by Ujan Prokashoni, containing poems that are deemed offensive to religious sentiments.
Additionally, he mentioned that Sohel Hasan Galib had previously posted defamatory content on religion from his Facebook account.
These actions reportedly sparked widespread outrage among the Muslim population in Bangladesh, raising concerns about potential unrest at public gatherings, including book fairs.
The arrest has ignited a broader debate on the boundaries of artistic expression and the state's role in regulating content that may offend religious sentiments.
Advocates for free speech argue that such actions set a concerning precedent for creative freedoms in the country.
