Saturday night’s attacks on Buddhist neighbourhoods across Ramu, Ukhia and Teknaf in Cox’s Bazaar and the subsequent spread of the violence in Patiya of Chittagong continued to draw nationwide condemnation from eminent personalities as well as political parties on Monday.
Nine eminent personalities in a statement expressed concerns over the sectarian attacks.
The signatories included Ain O Salis Kendra executive director Sultana Kamal, Nijera Kori coordinator Khushi Kabir, Manusher Jonno Foundation executive director Shahin Anam, PRIP Trust executive director Aroma Datta, Association of the Development Agencies in Bangladesh chairman Tajul Islam. NGO Federation director Farah Kabir, Campaign for Popular Education’s Rasheda K. Choudhury, and TIB executive director Iftekkaruzzaman.
They demanded immediate investigation by a high-powered judicial committee into the incidents and punishment of the perpetrators.
Several Buddhist monasteries and Hindu temples were damaged besides their households in Cox’s Bazaar and Chittagong.
Communist Party of Bangladesh and the Socialist Party of Bangladesh jointly formed a human chain in front of the National Press Club where the CPB president Manzurul Ahsan demanded immediate arrest of the attackers.
SPB general secretary Khalequzzaman said a vested quarter was deliberately attacking places of worship and houses of different minorities.
He called upon all pro liberation war forces to resist these acts together.
SPB leaders Bazlur Rashid Firoz, Razequzzaman Ratan, the CPB leaders Ruhin Hossain Prince and Ahsan Habib Lablu spoke at the one hour rally started at 3:00pm.
Ganasanghai Andolan, leaders at a protest rally in front of the Press Club also demanded immediate arrest of the attackers on the minority communities in Ramu and other places in Cox’s Bazar and Chittgong.
The chief coordinator of the organisation Zonayed Saki demanded legal action against those who were involved in the attacks.
The leaders of the organisation Abdus Salam and Abul Hsan Rubel also spoke at the rally.
The leaders of five partners of the Awami League led alliance and Gana Oikya Committee and Parbatta Chattagram Jana Sanghati Samiti at a meeting held at Asad auditorium in the capital condemned the communal attacks on the minority communities.
Workers Party president Rashed Khan Menon, Communist Kendra convener Ajoy Roy, Ganatantri Party leaders Shahidullah Shikder, Gana Azadi League president Abdus Samad and others attended the meeting.
The attacks were turning into communal attacks centring a photograph defaming Quran reportedly posted on the facebook the leaders said.
They asked the government to take stern action against the attackers immediately.
They described the attacks as pre planned and demanded punishment of the attackers.
Democratic Left Alliance, in a press statement condemned the attacks.
Jatiya Mukti Council president Badruddin Umar and general secretary Faiezul Hakim in a press statement condemned the attacks.
The council will hold a protest rally in front of the Press Club at 4:00pm.
Jatiya Nari Jote, Peshajibi Nari Samaj and 19-teachers of the Dhaka University in a statement condemned the attacks.
-With New Age input
