Protests for removal of KMP chief continue

Students Against Discrimination (SAD) continued their demonstrations in Khulna city for the third consecutive day yesterday, demanding the removal of KMP Commissioner Zulfikar Ali Haider.

They blocked the Khan Jahan Ali Road in front of the Khulna Metropolitan Police.

Students from different colleges and universities joined the protests that began around around 3:30pm. Members of the Chhatra Dal, Jubo Dal, and Swechchhasebak Dal also took part in the demonstrations.

On Tuesday, locals detained Sub-Inspector Sukanta Das of Khan Jahan Ali Police Station and handed him over to the police after beating him up. They alleged Sukanta assaulted students and people during the July uprising last year.

The students began demonstrating after police released Sukanta, alleging  Sukanta was freed at the order of the KMP commissioner and several other senior officers.

They issued an ultimatum on Thursday night, demanding the commissioner's removal by midday yesterday.

Rumi Rahman, a spokesperson for the Khulna chapter of SAD, said, "The law and order situation in Khulna has deteriorated drastically since Zulfikar Ali Haider took over as commissioner. He takes no action against influential individuals. We demand his immediate removal."

KMP sources confirmed that SI Sukanta was arrested in Chuadanga on Thursday and has been sent to jail following a court order.

Meanwhile, Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam was confined to the Khulna Press Club in the evening by student activists demanding the the KMP commissioner's removal.

He arrived at the Khulna Press Club around 5:45pm. Upon hearing the news, around 150 to 200 SAD members went from the KMP office to the press club and blocked its main gate.

Around 7:00pm, Sajidul Islam Bappy, central joint coordinator of the student movement, announced, "We have been protesting for three days, yet the home adviser has not responded. If there is any discussion, it must be with all of us. We will not allow a handful of people to go upstairs [at the press club] and negotiate. 'The press secretary, please let the chief adviser know about our demands. Otherwise, we will not let you leave the premises'."

Journalists from the club repeatedly requested them to let the press secretary leave, but the protesters would not budge.

Then, around 7:45pm, a meeting took place between the protesters and the press secretary at the Humayun Kabir Balu Auditorium of the press club.

A large number of army and navy personnel were deployed around the press club.

Around 8:00pm, Shafiqul was escorted out under heavy security provided by the joint forces.

Later, in a Facebook post, he wrote, "We came to Khulna this afternoon for a day-long trip. I was with two of my press team colleagues. We held a press briefing at the Khulna DC office. After the press meet, we visited Khulna University. Later we stopped at the Khulna Press Club, which was set ablaze during the anti-Hasina mass uprising.

"When the KPC officials were showing us some of the torched rooms of the club, some 200 student protesters came to its compound with a procession. They were shouting slogans, demanding the resignation of the Khulna Metropolitan Commissioner. I heard from the KPC journalists that they had been staging protests over the last three days.

"The protesters wanted to meet me to lodge their complaint. After my meeting with the KPC officials, I came downstairs to meet them. We patiently heard their complaints and assured them that we would convey their message to the concerned authorities. We had tea and biscuits. After about 30 minutes we left the KPC for Dhaka."