People's voice against blockade atrocities getting louder
With the blockade death toll mounting by the day and with no end in sight, the general people are increasingly converging at the capital's Jatiya Press Club to protest the atrocities on innocent civilians, which they say is a result of the two major political parties scrambling for power.
At least four organisations arranged protest programmes there yesterday, in which they held accountable the Awami League and the BNP for the civilian casualties and demanded an immediate stop to violence and a permanent solution to the ongoing political deadlock. Alluding to the BNP-led alliance's blockade, which is marked by arson attacks and street rampage, Nagorik Oikya Convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna told a human chain that democracy could not be protected by perpetuating terror or throwing bombs.
He also slammed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her comments that there would be no vote under an unelected administration. "You and your government are unelected, too," he said, observing that the ruling party retained power through a fraudulent election.
Manna called for a national dialogue to settle the debate, once and for all, on how to hold the national election in a free and fair manner every five years.
People raised their voices elsewhere too.
In Rangpur city, several thousand students of 24 schools and people of all walks of life formed a 5km human chain from Rangpur Zilla School to Begum Rokeya University.
Demanding withdrawal of the indefinite blockade, which started January 6, the speakers said if the political parties really wanted the welfare of students, they would accept the call.
Some 18 lakh students are supposed to sit for the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and equivalent exams beginning on February 2, said Syed Mamunur Rahman, a physician at Rangpur Medical College Hospital and member secretary of Jago Rangpur, the organiser.
Its convener Mosaddek Hossain Bablu, a freedom fighter, was present.
At its human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club, left student body Samajtantrik Chhatra Front urged the people to reject both parties for development and safety of the people. The general public has no connection with this violent politics, said its Vice President Rahat Ahmad.
At least 34 people have been killed in political violence since January 6.
Meanwhile, the weeklong signature collection campaign of The Mass People of Bangladesh, a citizens' platform, which demands an AL-BNP dialogue, was in progress for the third day yesterday, so far registering 900 signatures, said an organiser.
Addressing a rally at the press club, Syed Humayun Kabir, ameer of Islami Samaj, said all the problems lay with democracy, which should be replaced by Islamic rule.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Rural Journalists Association, at its human Chain, demanded withdrawal of the arson case against Shawkat Mahmud, president of a faction of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists, and adviser of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
Krishak Sramik Janata League launched an indefinite sit-in in front of its office at Motijheel yesterday, with its President Kader Siddique calling upon Hasina to organise a dialogue and Khaleda to withdraw the blockade.
He urged the BNP to announce other sorts of protest programmes.
Meanwhile, Jatiya Party Chairman HM Ershad, also a special envoy to the PM, will join a token hunger strike in front of JP's Kakrail office, demanding a stop to the violence.
Separately, Bikalpadhara Bangladesh threatened on Saturday to hold a mass hunger strike if Hasina and Khaleda do not sit in a dialogue by January 31.
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