Condemnations pour in, justice demanded
Widespread condemnation and demand for an investigation and punishment for members of Barisal Metropolitan Police poured in yesterday over Wednesday's indiscriminate and unrestrained baton charge on agitators, mostly females, before Barisal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital.
Five of the 22 demonstrators who suffered injuries have been released from the hospital while eight are still not out of danger for they are currently immobile on being hit in different joints and head, said Qumud Ranjan Bala, principal of the Institute of Health Technology, Barisal.
The institute's students boycotted classes and continued their demonstration wearing black badges under the banner “Bangladesh Diploma Medical Technology and Pharmacy Students Association” before their building on the hospital premises.
They were trying to press home the same 10-point demand over recognising their academic skills in professions and seeking the investigation and punishment.
Students from the institute's Dhaka unit staged a demonstration on the Central Shaheed Minar premises issuing a 72-hour ultimatum for a judicial inquiry and the punishment “otherwise the administration will be responsible for every eventuality”, says a press release.
In a statement, Ain o Salish Kendra protested and condemned the police action, stating that it is every citizen's constitutional right to carry out peaceful movements and protests.
Solving any problem is possible through discussions, not force and the police are expected to show restraint, not an insensitive attitude, it adds.
Similar statements came from Barisal units of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad and Bangladesh Women Lawyers Association.
Bangladesh Chhatra Federation formed a human chain before Ashwini Kumar Hall of Barisal city condemning the police action.
The 10-point demand included formation of a diploma medical education board, creating adequate posts in public and private healthcare facilities and compulsory appointment of the institute's graduates there, upgrading their status in public service from class III to II, and creating an independent directorate for them.
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