Cops weigh in as protesters try to burn Amini effigy
Police yesterday prevent activists of "Amra Muktijuddher Santan" at Muktangan in Paltan from burning an effigy of IOJ Chairman Fazlul Haque Amini in protest at the demolition of Baul sculptures at the Zia International Airport intersection.Photo: STAR
Police yesterday tried to prevent Amra Muktijoddhar Santan (AMS), a platform of sons and daughters of freedom fighters, from protesting the removal of Baul singers' (folk singers) sculptures from Zia International Airport intersection.
The AMS activists gathered at Muktangan in the city around 11:00am to protest Islami Oikya Jote (IOJ) Chairman Mufti Fazlul Haque Amini's threat to break all sculptures carrying the memories of the Liberation War.
A police team tried to disperse the protesters and took away two effigies of Amini, which they brought to burn, and a banner of the organisation.
AMS Vice-president Gazi Md Shafiqul Islam and another activist were injured in a scuffle with the police. However, they staged a brief demonstration there.
The freedom fighters' sons and daughters demanded arrest and punishment of Amini on charge of sedition. They said he made anti-state and anti-liberation remarks.
President of AMS Humayun Kabir said the sculptures are reflections of the country's Liberation War. So an attack on the sculptures is virtually an attack on the very existence of the country. He said the people of the country are pious but not blind and Islam does not permit any kind of extremism.
Meanwhile, Udichi Shilpi Goshthi, a cultural organisation, also faced police harassment at Doyel Chattar in the city when they were taking harmoniums and tables to the Central Shaheed Minar for a protest cultural programme.
Assistant General Secretary of Udichi Habibul Alam said police asked them to show a permission letter for holding the programme at the Shaheed Minar.
"The policemen said we will not be allowed to hold the cultural programme at the Shaheed Minar as we did not have a permission but we said we are not holding a political programme," said Habib.
The police later allowed them to hold the programme.
The cultural programme at the Shaheed Minar also had a discussion session where speakers demanded reinstallation of the Baul sculptures.
The speakers said the people who killed people during the Liberation War are now distracting the countrymen by distorting Islam. They also said Islam does not allow any kind of extremism.
Patriotic and Lalon songs were performed at the programme along with recitation of poems.
Vice-president of Udichi Golam Mohammad Edu presided over the discussion. Sammilito Sangskritik Jote General Secretary Golam Kuddus, Dhaka University Prof Niranjan Odhikary, Group Theatre Federation Secretary General Jhuna Chowdhury, and Udichi vice-presidents Badiur Rahman and Shamsuddin Ahmed also spoke among others.
Bangladesh Jubo Union formed a human chain on Comrade Mani Singh Road in the city demanding reinstallation of the statues at the proposed Lalon Square, Airport intersection.
Sammilito Shilpi Samaj yesterday arranged a painting programme in front of the Fine Arts Institute of Dhaka University to protest against the removal of the sculptures.
A press release said Charon Sangskritik Kendra will form a human chain and hold demonstrations in front of the National Museum at 4:00pm today.
Meanwhile, Bimanbandar Gol Chattar Murti Protirodh Committee in a press release said the government would face misfortune if it failed to declare the construction of a Hajj Minar at the Airport intersection.
In the press release, signed by Maulana Nur Mohammad, publicity controller of the committee, said, "We will wait until October 23 for the authorities to declare the construction of the Hajj Minar. If not declared… on October 24 from a meeting we will declare programmes that has not been heard of in 100 years.”
Comments