Leaders of a faction of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and a faction of Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) yesterday demanded immediate release of journalist Probir Sikder.

Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, president of the faction of BFUJ, Abdul Jalil Bhuyian, its secretary general, and Altaf Mahmud, president of the DUJ faction, and Kuddus Afrad, its general secretary, in a joint statement also condemned Probir's arrest and remand.    

Probir, editor of Bangla daily Bangla 71 and online news portal u71news.com, was picked up by detectives on Sunday evening from his office in the capital.

Son of a Liberation War martyr, Probir wrote a series of reports titled "Sei Razakar" in Bangla daily Janakantha in 2001 against some alleged war criminals, including a controversial businessman from Faridpur.

Following his write-ups, Probir was attacked in April 2001. In the attack, he lost a leg and strength and mobility in one hand.

The statement yesterday said Probir was at risk again as he uncovered the mask of alleged war criminal Musa Bin Shamsher.

He tried to filed a general diary with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station and was aggrieved when police allegedly refused to record the GD, added the statement.

Meanwhile, Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee in a separate statement also condemned Probir's arrest and demanded his immediate release.   

In the statement, the committee said Probir was arrested for criticising a controversial minister of Sheikh Hasina's cabinet, and this aggrieved people nurturing the Liberation War spirit.

The misuse of the ICT act would raise questions about the achievement of the government in this sector, they said.     

Probir Sikder was arrested and remanded in connection with a case filed under Information and Communication Technology Act for "tarnishing the image" of LGRD Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain.