Shahbagh protesters demand arrest of Islamists who oppose Bangabandhu’s statue

Activists have demonstrated at Dhaka’s Shahbagh demanding the arrest of Islamist leaders Mamunul Haque and Sayed Faizul Karim for opposing the construction of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s statue.

The demonstration under the banner of Muktijuddho Mancha disrupted traffic at the intersection for about an hour from 4 pm on Saturday.

The protesters announced a plan to hold simultaneous human-chain demonstrations across the country on Dec 1 before leaving the site.

They took out a procession from the Raju Memorial sculpture and gathered at Shahbagh.

They also alleged Mamunul, acting secretary general of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, belittled the Prophet Muhammad. Faizul is the Nayeb-e-Ameer of Islami Andolan Bangladesh. 

Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury, a former judge of the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division, and sculptor Rasha also joined the protests.

Justice Choudhury described Mamunul, Faizul and their associates as the “defeated forces of the 1971 Liberation War”. He demanded tough government action against them.

Rasha said the “extremists” are opposing the statue because they have the “hidden agenda” of toppling the pro-liberation government.

The demonstrators placed a seven-point charter of demands, including the construction of Bangabandhu’s statues at every educational institution and in district and Upazila; a ban on religion-based politics; and arrest of those who spread hatred from religious gatherings.

The Muktijuddho Mancha’s President Aminul Islam Bulbul and General Secretary Al Mamun also delivered speeches.