The country's 117 prominent citizens have issued a joint statement condemning the call for cancelling Prothom Alo's registration.

The statement, signed by Professor Abul Kashem Fazlul Haque and Professor Emeritus Sirajul Islam Chowdhury among others, argued that a vested group has been demanding Prothom Alo's registration to be cancelled making allegations against the newspaper since its editor Matiur Rahman and reporter Shamsuzzaman Shams were sued under the Digital Security Act.

They said the charges levelled against them in the case are still pending and unproven. 

The move is not only an attack against Prothom Alo, but also against the freedom of media and journalism in the country, they added.

"No group that respects democracy, human rights and free speech can initiate or support wielding the sword against media," reads the statement.

They urged people from all strata of society to raise their voices to ensure the freedom of mass media.

The eminent personalities also include Prof Anwarullah Chowdhury, former VC of Dhaka University, ZI Khan Panna, senior Supreme Court lawyer, Farida Akhter, president of Narigrantho Probortona, economist Anu Mohammad, Badiul Alam Mazumder, general secretary of SHUJAN,  Khushi Kabir, women and human rights activist, Iftekharuzzaman, executive director of TIB, Asif Nazrul, writer and teacher at Dhaka University, and Syeeda Rizwana Hasan, Supreme Court lawyer.