The Shahbagh protesters’ ultimatum to start a process for banning Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir by March 26 ends today without any government initiatives in this regard.
The youth-led Shahbagh protests pressing for death penalty for war criminals rolls into its 50th day today with a renewed pledge to continue the movement until the last war criminal is executed. The protesters are likely to declare programmes like a march toward the prime minister’s office and handing over a memorandum to the prime minister after a rally at Shahbagh square in the city at 4:00pm today.
They are also planning to submit the signatures they have collected to the speaker of parliament, organise processions at district level, submit memorandums to the deputy commissioner
and hold rallies at Shahbagh in the city.
Two student leaders on Monday told New Age that they were likely to declare new programmes at today’s rally at Shahbagh, including a march toward the prime minister’s office.
On Monday, people at different places across the country walked in silent processions from the nearest Ganjagaran Mancha to the Shaheed Minar after dusk to pay homage to the martyrs of the fateful night of March 25, 1971. At places where there was no Ganajagaran Mancha, people gathered at a common venue and marched to the Shaheed Minar, recalling the horrors of one of the worst genocides in modern history carried out by the Pakistani occupation army against the unarmed population of the then East Pakistan on the night of March 25, 1971.
Organisers of Shahbagh protests said people of Chittagong, Khulna, Barisal, Rangpur, Sylhet and others district towns joined the programme.
Many schools and colleges in the capital, including Viqarunnisa Noon School and College, Udayan Higher Secondary School and University Laboratory School and College, on Monday held discussions on the history and significance of the Liberation War, at the call of Shahbagh protesters.
In the capital, a large number of protesters walked in a silent procession from Shahbagh Ganajagaran Mancha to the Central Shaheed Minar at 11:00pm.
The Shahbagh protesters later walked in a candlelight procession towards Dhaka University Jagannath Hall at 11:35 where they put off the candles to pay homage to the students killed by the Pakistan army on the fateful night.
Hundreds of people from all walks of life joined a cultural programme at Shahbagh Ganajagaran Mancha that began past midnight last night to mark the Independence Day.
The programme featured patriotic songs, recitation of poems, drama, folk songs, films and documentaries on the Liberation War.
Cultural troupes like Udichi, Chhayanat, Sangskritik Union and Sargam Lalitkala Academy performed on the main podium all night.
About 156 socio-cultural organisations are likely to take part in the events today.
Bogger Imran H Sarker, also a frontline organiser of the Shahbagh protests, urged people to join a
rally of freedom fighters that will start at 4:00pm at Shahbagh square today,
the Independence and National Day. Forty-two hot-air balloons will be released from the square at 8:00pm today.
The Shahbagh protests began on February 5 hours after International Crimes Tribunal 2 sentenced Jamaat’s assistant general secretary Abdul Quader Molla to life in prison, demanding death penalty for all war criminals.
Over the last 50 days the non-violent protests, spearheaded by a group of young bloggers, grew in strength with people of all ages and from all walks of life joining the movement and expressing solidarity with the demand.
People across the country observed silence, joined candlelight vigil, paid homage to martyrs, hoisted national flags, joined rallies and processions and rejected Jamaat- sponsored hartals over the period, at the call of the Shahbagh protesters.
On February 21, the protesters shortened the duration of their programmes after rallying round the clock at Shahbagh for 17 days since February 5. The protesters gave the government till March 26 to begin the legal process to ban Jamaat-e-Islami. (Source)
No comments:
Post a Comment