Jamaat's so-called body tarnishes image of freedom fighters

Magura freedom fighters raise hands at a meeting in the town, left, and Sangskritik Jote forms a human chain in Dinajpur yesterday demanding Jamaat-Shibir men's punishment for assaulting a freedom fighter in the capital on Friday.Photo: STAR

Protests against assault of a freedom fighter by Jamaat-Shibir activists continued with freedom fighters joined by people and different political and socio-cultural staging demonstrations in Kushtia, Rajshahi, Magura, Dinajpur and Rangpur yesterday.
They demanded judicial inquiry into Friday's incident in the capital in which freedom fighter Sheikh Mohammad Ali was kicked, shoved and whisked away at a function of a Jamaat backed so-called freedom fighter's organisation.
The protesters also demanded trial of war criminals and called upon pro-liberation forces to unite to resist them.
Our Kushtia Correspondent reports: Different organisations in Kushtia yesterday protested the heinous attack on freedom fighter Sheikh Mohammad Ali Aman by Jamaat-Shibir and demanded punishment of the culprits.
The have also demanded ban of politics by Jamaat.
The organisations included Kushtia unit of Bangladesh Muktijoddah Oikya Parishad Central Command Council Kushtia, district Awani League, Kumarkhali unit of Muktijoddah Sangsad. They held separate programmes.
Muktijoddah Oikya Parishad held a rally and formed a human chain in Kushtia town. The rally was addressed by, among others, former Zonal Council Chairman in Southwestern Division during 1971 and former lawmaker mp Abdur Rouf Choudhury, Nasim Ahmed and Sahabub Ali.
They criticised the caretaker government for not taking any action against the culprits involved in Friday's incident, alleging that it is 'soft on Jamaat'. They demanded ban on Jamaat backed so-called freedom fighters forum.
Kumarkhali unit of Muktijoddah Sangsad at a press conference at its office criticised the caretaker government for its silence on the issue despite an outcry across the country and urged all pro-liberation forces to intensify the demand for trial of war criminals.
Kushtia district AL in a statement claimed that Jamaat has gathered a large number of fake freedom fighters under its banner with an evil motive to tarnish the image of genuine freedom fighting. These people managed fake certificate of freedom fighters during the BNP-Jamaat government.
OUR Dinajpur CORRESPONDENT reports: Dinajpur units of Sammillito Sangskritik Jote, Muktijodha Sangsad and some other organisations held a joint rally and formed a human chain in Dinajpur town yesterday demanding punishment of Jamaat-Shibir activists who assaulted a freedom fighter.
They said Jamaat formed the so-called Jatiya Muktijoddha Parishad to harass genuine freedom fighters and demanded a ban on the organisation.
They also demanded trial of war criminals.
Freedom fighters are the greatest sons of the soil they said and urged the government to ensure their dignity and security
The speakers included Mayor of Dinajpur Municipality Freedom Ffighter Md. Shafiqul Haque Chhutu, Sankritik Jote convener Mirza Awarul Islam Tanu and Dinajpur Muktijoddha Sangsad president Mosaddeque Ali Mongolia
In Magura, Muktijoddha Sangsad held a protest meeting at Asaduzzaman Auditorium demanding punishment of culprits who assaulted a freedom fighter for seeking trial of war criminals, our correspondent reports.
They also demanded ban on the Jamaat-backed so-called freedom fighters body as their leaders made derogatory comments about the Liberation War.
Freedom fighter Abdul Halim Miraz chaired the meeting.
Bangladesh Chhatra League, student front of Awami League, staged a demonstration at Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (Ruet) and demanded punishment of Jamaat-Shibir cadres for assaulting a freedom fighter, reports our RU Correspondent.
Ruet BCL brought out a procession on the campus and held a rally at Central Shaheed Minar.
Speakers at the rally demanded a ban on the so-called Jatiya Muktijoddha Parishad for misleading the people and making derogatory comments about Liberation War.
They also demanded a ban on Shibir in educational institutions across the country, trial of war criminals and urged all progressive students organisations to united to resist Shibir.
In Rangpur, Bangladesh Chhatra Union formed a human chain in front of Rangpur Press Club protesting the incident, reports our correspondent.
Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee will stage demonstrations in the town today.