Dr Kamal’s motorcade attacked in Mirpur

Jatiya Oikya Front leader Dr Kamal Hossain’s motorcade has been attacked near the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial in Mirpur.

At least 12 leaders and activists from the Oikya Front, including Syed Abu Bakar Siddique Saju, a paddy sheaf candidate from Dhaka-14 seat, and the driver of ASM Abdur Rab’s car, have been injured in the attacks, according to alliance leaders.

About seven cars, including those of Oikya Front allies ASM Abdur Rab and Jaglul Haider Afrik, were vandalised in the attacks on Friday.

The attacks came after Dr Kamal Hossain and other alliance leaders had paid tribute to the martyred intellectuals and got into their cars, Latiful Bari Hamim, media coordinator for the Gono Forum, told bdnews24.com.

Reza Kibria from Gono Forum, BNP leader Abdus Salam and Gonoshyasthya Kendra Trustee Zafrullah Chowdhury were present on the scene.

“A group of miscreants from the Chhatra League and Jubo League attacked us with sticks and rods,” said Hamim.

He alleged that the attackers hit Dr Kamal’s car with sticks and vandalised the car of Abdur Rab. “His driver has been seriously injured and taken to the hospital.”

Those miscreants hit the Oikya Front leaders and activists indiscriminately, he said adding the leaders and activists began to scatter. At one point, the BNP leaders and activists started to gather chanting slogans, Hamim said.

Dr Kamal called an emergency press briefing on the issue for a 3pm start on Friday.

The Oikya Front leaders led by Dr Kamal went to the Martyred Intellectuals Memorial at 9.15am and paid their homage.

ANGERED BY MEDIA QUESTIONS

Dr Kamal lost his temper as reporters asked him questions about Jamaat-e-Islami.

“We came here to pay our tribute to the martyrs. How much have you been paid to ask such questions? This is Shaheed Minar. The martyrs of 1971 are laid here. You should think about them.”

“What is the name of the channel you work for? Just keep your mouth shut, shut up!” said Kamal when a reporter asked him about the alliance’s position on Jamaat, the political party that lost its registration.

“We are here to pay tribute to the martyred intellectuals. We must uphold our independence and make it meaningful for everyone, as millions of martyrs have sacrificed their lives for it,” Dr Kamal said.

“Independence is not for those who want to make personal benefits out of it. Everyone in the country has an equal right to it,” he said.

“We’re working to create a beautiful society free of repression. We’ll free the country from the clutches of those who work against our dreams.”

“They will have to give in to our countrymen, no matter how powerful they are.”