Eminent writers, academics and cultural activists have expressed frustration over the government's failure in trying the criminals linked to the killings of secular writers and freethinkers.

In a joint statement yesterday, they said the government high-ups are advising the writers to be careful, instead of brining the communal militant forces that have murdered five writers in the last one year to book.

"It appears that writers are committing worse crimes than those of the killers," says the statement signed by Bangladesh Udichi Shilpi Goshthi Chairman Kamal Lohani.

Thirty six eminent personalities, including Ahmed Rafiq, engineer Sheikh Muhammad Shahidullah, Prof Anisuzzaman, Prof Ajoy Roy, Syed Hasan Imam, Selina Hossain, Prof Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, Prof MM Akash and Prof Anu Muhammad, issued the statement.

"Killings of writers and publishers in recent times have created a sense of fear among people across the country," the statement read.

The communal and militant forces are committing murders one after another, but the government could not try a single one.

“The murderers are getting inspired for not being arrested and tried," the statement says. Those arrested for criminal offences are coming out on bail and resuming their criminal activities.

"Such indifference of the government is frustrating the freethinkers. At the same time, peoples' safety is being

threatened, and there is a serious fear in public mind," says the statement.

The government has utterly failed in taking forward the country in line with non-communal and progressive values, the eminent personalities said. “We cannot accept this situation."

"People cannot take the responsibility for the failures of the government and its intelligence forces. We demand immediate arrest and punishment of those involved in the killings of the writers and publishers," the statement notes.

It says Section-57 of the Information Communication Technology Act (Amendment) 2013 goes against the fundamental right to speech and people's right to life and personal liberty enshrined in the country's constitution.

"Such a black law cannot exist in an independent and democratic country," it says, demanding that the section be revoked immediately.