Following the tribunal’s Tuesday verdict sentencing
Molla, widely known as ‘Butcher of Mirpur’, to life term in prison, there have
been numerous postings on Facebook and Twitter and in blogs denouncing the
judgment and demanding death penalty for him.
ABC Radio Chief Operating
Officer Sanaullah Lablu wrote on his Facebook status on Wednesday: “When I came
back home last night, my 11th-grade only son asked me, ‘Baba, have you come from
Shahbagh?” I answered in the affirmative. I heard guitar tune from his room
until 4am. As I was leaving home at noon today, he said to me, ‘Listen, Baba, I
will go to Shahbagh’.
“It takes me back to the eighties, when I would
leave house escaping my father’s eye to join anti-Ershad movement. After coming
back home, he would scold me... But I won’t scold my son; rather I’ll take him
to Shahbagh. Who but he will carry my flag.”
Members of different
organisations and bloggers gathered at Shahbagh to reject the ‘light’ sentence
and demand capital punishment to the convicted war criminal.
Frustrated
at the sentence, Chittagong University student Nirjhor Mojumder updated his
Facebook status: “We’ll take up arms if necessary to ensure trial of war crimes.
We’ll go as far as it requires.”
Beginning with only a little over
hundred people in the afternoon, the Shahbagh gathering turned into an assembly
of several thousands at night. Many Facebook users called upon others to join
the Shahbagh protest, on their status.
One Facebook user, Mamun
Stonecold, wrote on his status: “Come to Shahbagh, even if you are scared of the
troubles on the street. You’ll find so many people by you to demand trial of the
anti-liberation hyenas and vultures. Just forget what will happen. Just say that
you demand death penalty (for the war criminals). You have the courage to raise
tour voice with others in this demand.”
Many users are posting pictures
and video clips of the Shahbagh protest.
‘Mongolgroher Jatri’ wrote in
somewhereinbolg: “The verdicts on war crimes do not concern a few people. The
whole nation is looking at them.”
He said: “O justice, the people who
will try you have risen this time.”
Md Shahriar Sakil wrote in
bdnews24.com blog: “The people don’t accept this
verdict.”
