Dhaka, Nov. 24 -- As many as 258 prominent citizens have condemned the arrest of Baul, or mystic, singer Abul Sarkar in Manikganj's Saturia and demanded his immediate release.

The call was made in a joint statement signed by Prof Khaliquzzaman Elias on Sunday.

The signatories strongly criticised the recent attacks, mob violence, vandalism and arrests occurring in parts of Bangladesh surrounding the so-called charge of "blasphemy".

In the statement, they asserted that a specific group appears to have emerged as the "sole agent" of the Islam and has launched a countrywide "purification campaign". They suggest this group's goal is the extermination of people with dissenting views and practices, which is demonstrated by the destruction of ...