Speedy tribunal, separate law demanded
Different organisations and eminent citizens, including representatives of minority communities, continued their protest yesterday, demanding exemplary punishment for the perpetrators of the attacks on minorities in different parts of the country during and after the January 5 national polls.
Bangladesh Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Oikya Parishad and Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad rallied in as many as 25 districts, demanding formation of a speedy tribunal to prosecute the attackers, saying the culture of impunity was responsible for recurrence of such violence.
They also urged the government to rehabilitate the victims who lost homes, places of worship, and businesses and enact a new law ensuring severe punishment to prevent communal atrocities.
Meanwhile, the Gonojagoron Mancha announced to build a primary school in violence-hit Malopara in Jessore's Abhaynagar upazila as there is no school nearby and distribute Tk 20,000 each among the 10 worst affected families and Tk 10,000 among 100 other victimised families there.
Around 500 marchers of the mancha led by its convener Imran H Sarker reached the predominantly Hindu village yesterday morning and held a rally there. In his speech, Imran said the main culprits remained untouched due to the blame game between the two major parties.
In Dhaka, several hundred activists, journalists, academicians, and writers holding black flags joined the rally of Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Oikya Parishad at the Central Shaheed Minar.
Addressing the gathering, Awami League adviser Suranjit Sengupta urged the government to amend the speedy trial tribunal act by including a provision of life term imprisonment or capital punishment for the perpetrators of violence against minorities.
Advocate Rana Dasgupta, general secretary of Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Oikya Parishad, said the government should hold all the 345 lawmakers accountable for any fresh attack on Hindus.
Dhaka University Vice Chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique and Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) President Monjurul Ahsan Bulbul, among others, spoke at the programme.
Later, a procession was brought out towards Jatiya Press Club followed by the screening of a documentary at the Shaheed Minar portraying the plights of the families in the affected areas.
Pabna, Lalmonirhat, Khulna, Jhenidah, Chandpur, Rangpur, Netrakona, and Pirojpur are among the 25 districts where rallies were held, reported our correspondents.
In a statement, some 47 eminent citizens termed the attacks as crimes against humanity and called for banning Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir and capping the sources of their funding. Prof Ajoy Roy, Prof Muntassir Mamun, Ayesha Khanam were among the signatories.
In another statement, the Communist Party of Bangladesh demanded exemplary punishment for those who have raped two housewives in front of their family members at Hazrail Rishipara of Monirampur upazila in Jessore for casting votes in the January 5 election.
Bangladesh Adivasi Union issued a statement, demanding punishment of the attackers of minorities.
Accusing the Awami League activists of the recent attacks, a section of teachers and staff of Jahangirnagar University formed a human chain on the campus.
In Chittagong, Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad held a protest rally and urged all progressive forces to stand by the minorities.
BNP and Jamaat-Shibir men looted, vandalised and burnt Hindu houses in Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Rangpur, Bogra, Lalmonirhat, Rajshahi, Chittagong and Jessore following the January 5 election, according to news reports.
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