Attack, intimidation won't stop movement
The organisers of anti-war criminal platform Gonojagoron Mancha yesterday vowed to carry on with their six-point demand against all adversities including attack, intimidation, and arrest.
“We had to overcome many hurdles since we took to the streets on February 5, 2013. So, now nothing will be able to prevent us from realising our demands including the banning of Jamaat-e-Islami,” said Imran H Sarker, spokesperson of the mancha.
He came up with the remarks while replying to queries from journalists at Paribagh in the capital, shortly after Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) denied its involvement in Thursday's attacks on the mancha activists.
Imran claimed that several organisations which were speaking against them had been organising several programmes bypassing the mancha at the same venue for a long time.
HM Badiuzzaman Shohag, president of BCL, an Awami League-backed student body, at a press briefing at Madhur Canteen of Dhaka University said, “We will apologise to the nation from in front of the National Press Club if Imran H Sarker can prove us guilty of the attack on them on Thursday night.”
“Otherwise, Imran H Sarker will have to apologise to the nation for his allegation against us,” he said.
Referring to the comments, Imran said, "We don't have conflict either with BCL or Jubo League. We have mentioned the names of the people belonging to BCL and Jubo League involved in the attack. Investigation needs to be conducted, and action should be taken against them."
On Thursday night, Imran claimed that the pro-AL activists and Muktijoddha Sangsad Santan Command members assaulted the mancha workers, as they opposed the government's “decision to receive donation from Islami Bank” for arranging the March 26 national anthem programme.
Protesting the attack on Imran and others, the Gonojagoron Mancha activists went to hold a rally at Shahbagh intersection on Friday afternoon but were barred and beaten by police. At least six activists were injured.
Police also detained five of the mancha activists and two of the Muktijoddha Sangsad Santan Command activists, who also tried to rally at Shahbagh at the same time. They all were released later.
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