People have guided Shahbagh: Imran

It has been a year since a group of youths had gathered at Shahbagh, in Dhaka, and set a momentous movement in motion.

They had come there after the International Crimes Tribunal awarded life term to Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Molla for crimes against humanity. They were later joined by swelling crowds who considered Molla’s punishment too light compared to the crimes he had committed during the country’s Liberation War in 1971.

At one stage, the Shahbagh agitation spread to all corners of the country, demanding death penalty for Molla and all other war criminals.

Imran H Sarker was one of the youths who had first protested at Shahbagh the ‘lenient’ punishment on this day last year. He later emerged as the movement’s spokesperson.

On the first anniversary of the beginning of the Shahbagh agitation, Sarker talked to bdnews24.com about various aspects of the movement – its beginning, people’s involvement, direction, stance of the government, rise of Hifazat-e Islam, objectives of the agitation and its future.

bdnews24.com: The agitation has just completed one year. Did you think at the beginning that it would last so long?

Imran: A movement is a continuous process. A movement has different stages. I was involved in different movements even from before Feb 5 last year. I tried to stand by the people in their hour of need. But they were different kind of movements. I did not think on Feb 5 that we would have to be on the street for so long. Carrying on a political movement for this long is a new experience.

bdnews24.com: How was the Shahbagh agitation initiated?

Imran: The Feb 5 verdict for Quader Molla was unexpected. None of us expected that such a verdict would come. Every citizen is aware of what he had done and the extent of his crimes. The charge against him for killing 244 people was proved at the tribunal. That’s why the people did not accept the judgment. That’s why it took no time (to begin the agitation) after the verdict was pronounced.

The verdict was announced at around 12pm. I gave a Facebook status that ‘there will be a rally and procession at Shahbagh intersection’. It was scheduled to be held at 3:30pm. After talking to BOAN (Blogger and Online Activist Network) members I informed everyone again at 12:23pm.

Then I left home and took my neighbour Badhon (Mahmudul Haq Munshi) with me and started to call and pick other members. Those who were with BOAN and YPD (Youth for Peach and Democracy) from the beginning, including Maruf Rasul, Arif Jebtik and Animesh Rahman, ‘Bangal’ started for Shahbagh.

Asking all to reach Shahbagh, Badhon and I picked ‘Pakhi’ on the way and went to Farmgate, where we made two banners for the gathering that you saw on Feb 5. When I arrived at Shahbagh, I saw at least 100 people already gathered there – all standing haphazardly in front of the National Museum. I tried to make them stand in queues.

We moved to the Shahbagh intersection at around 4pm. Some people were sent to bring loudspeakers and some were assigned to manage other things. The gathering was getting larger. Cultural and student organisations started to come in the evening. We bought candles from nearby shops and they were lit around the gathering. Meantime, drums were brought to the gathering – we don’t know from where. Slogans were finalised. People continued pouring in even at night. We did not expect that people would stay overnight. We were debating whether we would stay there overnight or not.

bdnews24.com: But finally you did stay there overnight…

Imran: We had different opinions. But, finally, we decided to stay there, as many had come prepared to camp at night. So, none of us left the place. We had not expected that such a large number people would stay there overnight.

bdnews24.com: How did the Feb 6 programme begin?

Imran: People started joining the gathering in large numbers from early morning the next day. Several thousand people gathered there by 10am. The organisations that could not come the previous day, reached the gathering on Feb 6.

The media began asking about the next programmes. We did not have the experience to conduct such big movement. So, we could not decide what to do next. I tried to discuss the matter with my colleagues whenever I got the chance. Finally, we held a press meet, where we announced our grand rally on Feb 8.

bdnews24.com: How did you prepare for the Feb 8 grand rally?

Imran: At first, it was not quite decided how the rally would be organised and who would address it. We started talking with different cultural organisations about the preparation. We had decided at the very beginning that we won't allow any political leader to speak at the rally with their political identity. We announced that trough the loudspeakers at frequent intervals. Ordinary people praised this decision. But we allowed civil society members to address the rally.

Though BOAN convened the Feb 5 gathering, it later assumed the character of a mass movement. I was not made spokesperson of the movement. I was made the chair of that rally. But I did not want that, as there were so many eminent persons. I did not have any preparation for that. But those who came there told me that I have to be the chair since it was movement of the youths. So I conducted the rally.

As Ganajagaran Mancha had not yet been formed then, everything was arranged in BOAN’s name. Later, we felt the movement should be given a name. And we announced the name ‘Ganajagaran Mancha’ on Feb 8.

Shyamali Nasrin Chowdhury proposed ‘Ganajagaran Mancha’ for the movement and Ferdousi Priyabhasini ‘Prajanma Chattar’ for Shahbagh intersection, and we accepted them.

bdnews24.com: How did you tackle the adverse situations including pressure by the government and the rise of Hifazat-e Islam?

Imran:

The main challenge before the movement was to keep it non-political. It was a tough job. But its main support came from the people. They guided the movement. Whenever anyone tried to politicise it, ordinary people protested. It was a big power. The movement is advancing based on that.

bdnews24.com: What are its next steps?

Imran:

Our main target is to continue the movement until the execution of the verdicts handed down to war criminals. We are not leaving the street until our six-point charter of demands is met. We will take a tough stand whenever we find that efforts are being made to obstruct the trial. If need be we will start sit-in protest.

bdnews24.com: Are you feeling any pressure?

Imran:

There were two big events – long marches after Dec 16. We feel good that we could stand by distressed people. We feel a bit of pressure for our three-day programmes from Feb 5.

Another pressure is our sense of responsibility. One year has passed through many activities and a long movement. Now, I think, our responsibility has increased.