Shahbagh rally calls for nat’l unity
People in their thousands continued pouring in ‘Shahbagh Square’ turning the area and its surroundings into a human sea on Friday afternoon, calling for a national unity of political parties, professionals, cultural, students and youth organisations for ensuring death penalty for the war criminals of 1971.
They also demanded a ban on Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and cancellation of the citizenship of Jamaat leaders, while rallying for non-stop four days.
Protesters, irrespective of age, caste and partisan affiliation turned up
for the scheduled grand
rally in the afternoon and took oath by raising
their hands that they would boycott all social, financial and cultural outfits and
media outlets linked to Jamaat.
Popular slogans like ‘Fanshi, Fanshi, Fanshi Chai- Quader Mollar Fanshi Chai (hang Quader Molla) and ‘Tui Razakar, Tui Razakar (you are collaborators)’ chanted by the protestors in chorus resounded through the square and beyond.
Some shouted ‘Let the weapons of ’71 roar again,’ and ‘We want razakars to be hanged.’
The air at Shahbagh and its surroundings was filled with slogans against the war criminals and patriotic songs.
Students and youth leaders addressing the rally urged the countrymen
to resist Jamaat and its students wing Islami Chhatra Shibir.
They vowed to stay
at the venue until their
demand for death penalty of Quader Molla and
other war criminals was met.
The spontaneous protests led by youths, bloggers and online activists began at Shahbagh Square on
Tuesday afternoon after an International Crimes
Tribunal sentenced Quader Molla, Jamaat’s assistant secretary general, to life
term imprisonment on war crimes charges, including rape and
mass murder, which had disappointed the people.
The mass protests at Shahbagh virtually electrified the whole country with a sense of patriotism triggering similar rallies in almost all cities and towns.
Blogger Imran H Sarker at the Shahbagh rally read out the declaration and administered a mass oath.
The statement said people across the country had rejected the verdict of the International Crimes Tribunal with ‘resentment and hate’.
‘People are frustrated and disappointed by the verdict,’ said the declaration.
After the declaration, the protesters raising their hands took oath that they would boycott Islami Bank, Ibne Sina Hospital, coaching centres like Retina and Focus, television channel Diganta, newspapers Naya Diganta, Sangram, Amar Desh and Sonar Bangla for their link to Jamaat.
The protesters also demanded expulsion of Jamaat leaders Quader Molla and Qamaruzzaman as members of the National Press Club.
Earlier, students leaders addressing the rally demanded that the state should take over all these Jamaat-linked establishments. They also urged all to resist Jamaat and Shibir socially.
Among the youth leaders, acting Jubo League chairman Mizanur Rahman, Jubo Union president Abdullah-al-Kafee Ratan, Jubo Maitree president Alamgir Ratan and youth leader Abul Hossian Rubel, addressed the rally which began with presentation of the national anthem.
Chhatra League president HM Badiuzzaman Sohag, Chhatra Front president Shaifuzzman Shaker, Chhatra Federation president Prabir Saha, Chhatra Maitree president Bappaditya Basu and Bangladesh Chhatra Union secretary Hasan Tarek, among others, also addressed the rally, which was anchored by journalist Anjan Roy.
Dhaka University vice-chancellor AAMS Arefin Siqqique, Jahangirnagar University vice-chancellor Anwar Hossain, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University vice-chancellor Pran Gopal Dutta, writer Zafar Iqbal, Sector Commanders Forum leader KM Shafiullah, Sammilita Sangskritik Jote leader Nasiruddin Yousuf, Bir Shrestha Matiur Rahman’s wife Mili Rahman, along with others addressed the rally expressing solidarity with protest.
‘It is the finest moment of my life. I am here to offer an apology to you. I wrote articles in newspapers that the new generation only clicks on the ‘like’ on facebook and writes on blogs, but they do not take to the streets. You have proved me wrong and I thank you all for this,’ Zafar Iqbal said.
Arefin Siqqique, Anwar Hossain and Pran Gopal Dutta demanded highest punishment for war criminals. They described the youths as ‘the present-generation freedom fighters’.
Others who spoke at the mass rally said that the Quader Molla verdict had ‘humiliated’ the nation and disappointed the people seeking justice against mass murder and rape by war criminals. It also belittled the heroes who had laid down their lives for the liberation of the country.
A group of journalists, bankers, physicians and other professions joined the rally expressing solidarity with protests.
The Shahbagh Square, christened Prajanma Square by the protesters, and its surroundings, including Kantaban to the west, Matsya Bhaban to the east, Bangla Motor to the north and TSC of Dhaka University to the south teemed with people as the day rolled on.
The protesters sported national flag, marched in small processions carrying banners and festoons, screened films on the independence war, painted the road stretches, took part in protest painting, staged street plays and shouted slogans against the International Crimes Tribunal 2 verdict.
They questioned how Quader Molla, who had committed grave crimes against humanity, including mass murder and rape, was handed life term instead of capital punishment.
Young people, who for the first time joined a rally on the day, also raised their voice for death penalty of war criminals.
Sangskritik Union activists along with others sang patriotic songs to cheer up the protesters.
A group of protesters burnt Quader Molla’s effigy in the afternoon. Another group threw shoes at the effigies of war crimes suspects.
Fine arts students put on display caricatures of war crimes suspects along the road stretch from the fine arts faculty to the Shahbagh Square. They also arranged a protest painting programme in front of their faculty.
Over one hundred children of Khelaghar joined the protest.
A good numbers of female students of Dhaka University brought out a procession with broomsticks.
A group of freedom fighters of Mukitjoddha Sangsad Central Command Council carrying the national flag joined the protest.
The Dhaka University Film Society showed several films on the war of independence on a big screen the organisation set up at the venue.
Cultural organisation Tirandaj staged street plays.
Many city dwellers came with their children to attend the rally on Friday, a weekly holiday.
Many were seen walking around with colours and brushes, drawing the national flags and writing slogans on the cheeks of the protesters. At least three organisations ran first aid centres.
The Dhaka WASA provided drinking water for the demonstrators, while the Dhaka City Corporation came with mobile toilets.
Some people said that they had come all the way from Mymensingh, Narayanganj, Gazipur, Comilla and other neighbouring districts to join the protests.
Some of the protesters who opened a page on the social networking site Facebook on the movement said that many young people in outlying districts had started for Dhaka to join the protests.
Protesters said similar protests had also been reported from different countries, including Saudi Arabia, the United States and the United Kingdom, by the expatriate Bangladeshis.
The protests spilled over to other parts of the country. In Chittagong, thousands of people from all walks of life have continued demonstration and sit-in programme for the fourth consecutive day on Chittagong Press Club premises. Sampradayikata Birodhi Tarun Udyog is leading the protests demanding death sentence to all war criminals.
The protesters vowed to continue the movement until the demands were met.
Former city mayor and city Awami League president ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury had to leave the spot at around 4:00pm without delivering a speech as the protesters did not allow any politician to speak at their demonstration.
Youths in Barisal city erected Ekatturer Mancha in front of Ashwini Kumar Hall on Friday as they continued protest demanding capital punishment for all war criminals.
In Sylhet, hundreds of protestors joined the rally in front of the Central Shaheed Minar demanding death sentence for Quader Molla.
In Rajshahi, Sammilita Sangskritik Jote and Ekatturer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee held protest rallies at Bangabandhu Square in the city to press home the demands.
In Jhenaidah, Sammilita Sangskritik Jote staged protests and staged street dramas and presented patriotic songs at Paira Square in the district town.
Protests were held in Khulna city, Chandpur, Mymensingh, Brahminbaria, Dinajpur, Khagrachari, Madaripur, Barguna and Sirajganj district towns, reports received from the districts said.
Courtesy of New Age
