‘Shahbagh protest mutual’

The mass protest at Shahbag demanding a death sentence for Jamaat-e-Islami’s Abdul Quader Molla is being staged through ‘mutual understandings’, BNP’s student wing Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal said on Thursday.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 7 Feb 2013, 04:47 AM
Updated : 7 Feb 2013, 05:48 AM

Chhatra Dal President Aabdul Kader Bhuiyan made the statement at a press briefing at the BNP’s Naya Paltan headquarters.

Regarding war crimes trials and its process, the Chhatra Dal leader said, “This is a matter of sub-judice. We don’t want to comment now. We need to observe it more.”

“However, rumors have it that the movement at Shahbag is being staged under a mutual arrangement,” he added.

International Crimes Tribunal-2 pronounced life in jail for Molla on Tuesday for his crimes against humanity involving 1971 independence war.

An online activist body ‘Blogger and Online Activist Forum’ rejected the verdict hours after the verdict was delivered and called for a protest at Shahbag. Later thousands of people joined the protest. The sit-in protest continued Thursday.

The protesters have announced a bigger rally for Friday.

Bangladesh Chhatra League and other student political bodies were seen participating in the protest. Chhatra Dal, however, is absent.

Awami League and other left-leaning parties had questioned BNP’s position over war crimes trials.

On Jan 31, BNP had supported Jamaat’s shutdown demanding abolition of the International Crimes Tribunal. Later however, BNP leader Tariqul Islam, who recently emerged as a party spokesman, had said they did not support Jamaat’s call for the abolition of war crimes tribunals.

BNP said it wanted a “transparent” trial.

Separately, Chhatra Dal placed forward an eight-point charter of demands including Dhaka University Central Students Union (DUCSU) elections, also on Thursday.

The demands, placed by Chhatra Dal General Secretary Habibur Rashid, revealed next programmes of the body.

Chhatra Dal will be placing a memorandum to Dhaka University Vice Chancellor on Saturday, and bring out a protest rally at campus premises on Feb 11.