Ganajagaran factions at Shahbagh

Contending factions of the Ganajagaran held parallel programmes at Shahbagh on Friday vying for popular attention.

While the Mancha faction led by Imran H Sarker held a rally at the iconic protest site in capital Dhaka, the other faction, led by Kamal Pasha Chowdhury, took out a procession.

In the afternoon, the Sarker-led group gathered in front of the main gate of the National Museum, raising slogans seeking the trial of 1971 war criminals.

Sarker had announced earlier that a rally would be held in Shahbagh to press for the fulfilment of the Mancha’s six-point demands and speedy war crimes trials.

The faction led by Chowdhury had, on the other hand, planned a rally to protest the attack on Hasibi Shahid Shishir.

Around 3:30pm, Sarker and his followers assembled in front of the museum gate. Bangladesh Students Union members, too, joined the rally, carrying with them their organisational banners for the first time.

Socialist Students Front and Students Federation members also took part.

Chowdhury and some of his followers were at the Mancha Media Cell tent.

Police said they had advised both sides against holding rallies.

After a clash at Shahbagh between Mancha activists and Muktijoddha Sangsad Santan Command, Kamal Pasha Chowdhury, president of the Muktijoddha Chhatra Command, along with other Mancha activists, had announced the ‘removal’ of Imran Sarker from the spokesperson’s post.

On Tuesday, Ganajagaran activist Shishir was stabbed by unknown assailants in the capital’s Banglamotor. He and Chowdhury accused Sarker of involvement in the attack.