Some 24 prominent citizens of the country have termed police surveillance on political activities, including frisking and checking mobile phones of citizens to suppress the opposition political parties as anti-democratic and violation of human rights.  Read: Fakhrul, Abbas sent to jail ahead of BNP’s Dhaka rally They strongly condemned such police activities in a joint statement issued on Sunday. In the statement, they said "the right to assembly is our constitutional fundamental right. We urge the government to abstain from violating these fundamental rights. We also demand the government to refrain from repression and torture against the leaders and activities of the opposition parties." They also condemned the arrest of BNP leaders and activists. Read: BNP’s Nayapaltan office reopens after 4 days of police raid The signatories are-- former adviser of the caretaker government M Hafizuddin Khan, human rights activist Hameeda Hossain, founder of Gonoshasthaya Kendra Zafrullah Chowdhury, former cabinet secretary Ali Imam Majumder, SUJON secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar, professors Anu Muhammad,  Rehnuma Ahmed, lawyer Salma Ali, photographer Shahidul Alam, human rights activists  Noor Khan Liton,  Shirin Haque, Sharmin Murshid, Supreme Court lawyer Shahdeen Malik, Subrata Chowdhury, Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Dhaka University's professor Asif Nazrul, Jahangirnagar University professors Mirza Taslima Sultana and Nasreen Khandkar, Chittagong University professor Maidul Islam,  Naser Bakhtear, researchers Veena D'Costa, Saydia Gulrukh, Hana Sams Ahmed,  and Rozina Begum.

Diplomatic Correspondents Association, Bangladesh (DCAB) has strongly condemned the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh, an Al Jazeera journalist who was shot dead on May 11 during an Israeli raid on the West Bank. In a statement Friday, DCAB President Rezaul Karim Lotus and its General Secretary AKM Moinuddin demanded that those responsible for the killing of the journalist be held accountable. They also called on the authorities concerned to conduct a thorough and independent investigation into Shirin's death. Also read: ARTICLE 19 condemns killing of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh  In a separate statement Overseas Correspondents Association Bangladesh(OCAB) also condemned the killing.  In a statement signed by OCAB convenor Qadir Kollol and its member secretary Nazrul Islam Mithu voiced deep concern over Shireen's killing and urged all concerned to ensure safety and security of journalists to carry out their free reporting. Shireen was a highly respected journalist in the Middle East whose unflinching coverage was known to millions of viewers, reports AP. Also read: Slain Al Jazeera journalist was icon of Palestinian coverage The 51-year-old journalist became a household name synonymous with Al Jazeera’s coverage of life under occupation during her more than two decades reporting in the Palestinian territories, including during the second intifada, or uprising, that killed thousands on both sides, most of them Palestinians, according to AP.

Bangladesh has strongly condemned the attack on Riyadh city and Khamis Mushayt city of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by Houthis recently targeting civilian facilities. "We are concerned that such insensible acts undermine the security of the Kingdom and tend to adversely impact the peace and stability in the region," said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday. Read: -Bangladesh condemns bomb-laden drone attack in Saudi Arabia Bangladesh expressed its solidarity with the Saudi Arabia against any threat to its security and remains steadfastly committed towards regional efforts for maintenance of peace and stability.