Feud over Piash Karim's wake heats up

A group of people last evening vowed to take Piash Karim's body to Central Shaheed Minar for a wake while some organisations threatened to resist them, intensifying a controversy that started soon after his death.
The argument arose following Piash's cousin's announcement that the body will be taken to Central Shaheed Minar today for his fans, family and friends.
On Monday, Chhatra Sangram Parishad, a platform of seven student bodies, in a press release said Piash had taken a stance in favour of Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir, made "derogatory remarks" about the Shahbagh movement which demanded capital punishment for war criminals, and made "adverse remarks" on the trial procedure of the International War Crimes Tribunal.
Piash Karim, a professor of BRAC University and a regular television talk-show particiapant, breathed his last at a hospital in the capital on Monday.
At a press conference in the capital's Jatiya Press Club, journalist Mahfuz Ullah yesterday said they will take the body to Shaheed Minar around 10:00am on Friday.
However, Bangladesh Online Activists Forum in association with fifteen other organisations said if any organisation attempts to bring his body to the Central Shaheed Minar, they will be resisted.
Mahfuz Ullah said an application had already been submitted to the Dhaka University authorities for permission.
DU acting proctor Prof Amzad Ali said they were yet to get such application.
However, the cousin, Iqbal Chowdhury, at about 7:30pm said family members were yet to reach any final decision over the matter.
Piash Karim's body is kept at the mortuary of Square Hospital for now.