In a joint statement yesterday they said although such threats against educationists are unthinkable in a democratic country, these are taking place as the militants are getting shelter from the government.

The eminent citizens urged the authorities concerned to take immediate measures to ensure the security of the litterateurs, intellectuals and teachers who are the target of the militants.

They demanded of the government to take stern action against the militants who issued the threats.

The signatories to the statement are Kabir Chowdhury, Khan Sarwar Murshid, Sarder Fazlul Karim, Foyez Ahmed, Zillur Rahman Siddique, Wahidul Haque, Serajul Islam Chowdhury, Anisuzzaman, Qaium Chowdhury, Murtoza Bashir, Syed Shamsul Haque, Rizia Rahman, Bibi Rasel, Rafiqun Nabi, Ramendu Majumder, Mafidul Haque and Nasiruddin Yusuf.

In a separate statement, Sheikh Shahidul Islam, secretary general of Jatiya Party (JP-Monju) condemned the threats to university teachers.

Our Rajshahi University correspondent adds: Progressive Teachers' Society (PTS) yesterday took out a procession on the campus protesting the death threat to eminent litterateur Prof Hassan Azizul Haque by the activists of Islamic Chhatra Shibir on August 24.

They also condemned the death threat to Muhammad Zafar Iqbal of SUST.

Several hundred teachers, students, cultural activists and journalists took part in the procession that paraded the campus roads.

The PTS also held a rally in front of the Senate building where the speakers said the fundamentalist forces have made a 'blueprint' to suppress the secular movement and kill democratic-minded intellectuals, progressive teachers and litterateurs one by one.

Blaming the RU authorities for not taking any action against those who gave the threat to Prof Haque, they demanded immediate arrest and exemplary punishment of the Shibir activities and measures to ensure security of the teachers.