Indian President Pranab Mukherjee left Dhaka-Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

A special flight carrying him left the Shahjalal International Airport at around 6:50pm. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina saw the first Bengali President of India off at the airport.

It was Mukherjee’s first visit to any country after getting elected as the President last year. He is the first Indian President to visit Bangladesh after President V V Giri, who visited in 1974.

Apart from his meeting with President Mohammad Zillur Rahman and Hasina, he also met a number of politicians of various parties.

Main opposition BNP’s Chairperson Khaleda Zia, however, cancelled her meeting when the President arrived on Sunday citing security reasons due to the shutdown called by key ally Jamaat-e-Islami.

The President also awarded an honorary Doctorate of Law degree by the Dhaka University on Monday at its 47th convocation which he addressed.

Bangladesh also bestowed on the President -- who has had a long political career spanning over six decades with the ruling Congress Party -- the ‘Bangladesh Liberation War Honour’ for his contribution to the 1971 War of Independence.

He also visited the Bangabandhu Museum where the founding father of Bangladesh was brutally killed along with his family members on Aug 15, 1975 and recalled him as ‘a great leader’.

The President was moved by the gesture of Bangladesh as he spoke emotionally about this country where his wife had spent her childhood.

Mukherjee visited the residence of his father-in-law at Bhadrabila in Narail Sadar upazila on Tuesday after inaugurating the broad-gauge locomotives and tanker wagons of the Bangladesh Railway recently supplied under the Indian Line of Credit.

He had also visited the Bharateswari Homes run by the Kumudini Trust in Tangail and Shilaidaha Kuthibari, the ancestral home of Rabindranath Tagore.

“I am touched by your warm gesture,” the President said at Bangabhaban while receiving the liberation war honours.

He assured to stand beside the people of Bangladesh ‘as in 1971, so in 2013’.

“We will walk with you as equal partners, shoulder to shoulder, arm in arm. We are both inheritors of an undivided civilisational legacy.”

In 1971, Mukherjee was 36 years old and a lawmaker from the Indian Congress party when Bangladeshis were battling for their country.

He recollected those days, “On Jun 15, 1971, I had the privilege to initiate a discussion in India’s Upper House and I had suggested that India accord diplomatic recognition to the government of Bangladesh in exile in Mujibnagar.”

During his speech in the convocation, the President said he had been ‘deeply impressed by the maturity, awareness and involvement’ of Bangladesh’s youths in nation building.

“Looking at you, I am convinced that the future of Bangladesh is bright,” he said and touching an emotional chord of friendship, he added, “India will stand by your side in realising the dream of ‘Sonar Bangla’ a reality.”

He also promised his country's support for Bangladesh’s ‘comprehensive development’, saying the destiny of the two nations were interwoven ‘just like our history and culture.’

In his speeches and meetings with political leaders, he also reiterated that unsettled issues like Teesta water sharing and ratification of the land

boundary agreement between India and Bangladesh would be settled soon

Foreign Minister Dipu Moni while briefing journalists before the President left said his ‘programme itself speaks of the depth and breadth of the relationship between Bangladesh and India.’

She described the President’s visit ‘very substantive and fruitful.’ 

BNP’s dawn to dusk general strike on,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

Pro-shutdown activists were not visible on the streets of Dhaka during the nationwide strike on Tuesday following two days of strike by their ally, Jamaat-e-Islami.

Meanwhile, Shahbagh’s Ganajagaran Mancha had not openly opposed the BNP-sponsored shutdown, like they had done ahead of the Jamaat-sponsored 48-hour strike.
Dhaka
Three cocktails were detonated near BNP’s central headquarters in Naya Paltan at around 11:30am on Tuesday.
A crude bomb was hurled 50 feet away from the BNP offices by miscreants riding a motorcycle. The sound from the explosions caused alarm in the area. The motorcycle riders disappeared soon after the blast.
Two other blasts took place after 12:00pm in front of Ananda Bhaban and Naya Paltan mosque.
No one has been injured in the blasts. Police were not able to arrest those responsible.
BNP has accused the government for these incidents. They claimed ruling party activists were circling the street shouting slogans before the blasts took place.
BNP's Naya Paltan headquarter was under a heavy security blanket. Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that the government had confined them in the office and were not allowing anyone to enter.
People on motorcycles lobbed four crude bombs in Dhaka University's TSC area and fled when the police fired in the air.
The attackers came from the direction of the Central Shaheed Minar and exploded four crude bombs on the road between TSC and DUS at around 9:45am, Shahbagh Police Station Officer in-Charge Sirajul Islam
Earlier, reports of pro-shutdown processions and bomb explosions were received from Sabujbagh, Mugda, Gulshan Link Road and other areas of the capital. Vandalism was reported from Golapbagh area of Jatrabari.
Fire Service and Civil Defence Control Room Officer Mohammad Ali confirmed to bdnews24.com of a bus being set on fire at Kawran Bazar at around 5:30am. Two fire fighting units controlled the fire.
Some handmade crude bombs exploded when another bus was set on fire in Doaripara of Mirpur.
Three crude bombs were lobbed on the Mohakhali Wireless Gate area around 10:00am. Police said they nabbed two suspects from the place.
Several blasts took place at 11:00am on Rokeya Shoroni in Mirpur’s Shaowrapara, said Kafrul Police OC Kazi Wajed Ali. Panic spread in the area following the explosions.
After that, Police conducted a raid in a garment factory but were not able to arrest anyone.
Chittagong
Back to back clashes took place between Bangladesh Chhatra League activists and BNP workers near BNP’s party office in Chittagong after noon on Tuesday.
A motorcycle was vandalised and another one set on fire by BNP activists during that time.
Chhatra League activists were shouting slogans and displaying strength with a parade of 30 to 40 motorcycles at the city’s Naval Avenue intersection at around 2pm, when BNP activists, positioned in front of their party office at Nasimon Bhaban, chased them as they hurled brick bats. Chhatra League activists also responded by throwing brick bats.
The situation was brought under control as Police and senior BNP leaders reached the site.
Earlier, in a case of sabotage a 20-inch rail track was found cut away in Bhatiari of Chittagong. That led to delays in train services on the Dhaka-Chittagong and Sylhet-Chittagong routes.
Rajshahi
Picketers attempted to block roads and railways with burning tyres in Rajshahi during the BNP enforced strike on Tuesday.
Rajshahi Metropolitan Awami League Ward unit-3 office in Bandhagate area of the city was set on fire at around 5:30am, said the OC. “Miscreants set off the fire and fled… Fire fighters controlled the flames… Some portions of the office were completely burnt.”
District and metropolitan units of the BNP brought out processions in the city in the morning.
Meanwhile, a medicine laden pick-up truck was burned down late Monday night at Binodpur area adjacent to Rajshahi University at around 11:30pm, Rajshahi Correspondent.
Nearly 12 locally made bombs exploded in the area.
Petrol bombs were also hurled at Malopara Police Outpost in the night before Tuesday’s, at around 9:30pm. ‘Miscreants’ lobbed crude bombs at the residence of a local Bangladesh Chhatra League leader.
Gazipur
Miscreants torched a train at Gazipur’s Joydebpur junction during the BNP enforced strike on Tuesday. Two rows of seats in one of the back carriages of Dhaka-bound Turag Express were set on fire at around 10am, OC SM Kamruzzaman of Joydebpur police station has said.
Further damage was prevented as Police and railway staff quickly doused the fire, the OC said.
Earlier, a human hauler was also set on fire at 7am at a stand near the station. Another human hauler was vandalised in the town’s Jorpukur area, said the OC.
Ruling party activists attacked the district BNP office at around 12pm. The attack was launched from a procession brought out by the Awami league and its aliies, police and witnesses said.
BNP activists, numbering 20-25, were preparing to take out a procession at the time of the attack said the party's joint secretary of Dr. Mazharul Islam. He said 10 to 12 BNP leaders and activists were injured in the attack.
Police tried to stop the attack, said SI Aminul Islam for Joydebpur Police Station.

After the attack on their office BNP activists came down to the Razbari Street and vandalised an auto-rickshaw and some rickshaws, said the SI.
BNP and its allies from Tongi took out a procession at 7:30 am to reach the College Gate area where they tried to set fire to an auto-rickshaw and a bus in Cherag Ali market area. Back to back clashes took place place as Police tried to disband them. They fired tear gas shells to disband the pro-shutdown activists.
Minibus, auto-rickshaw and rickshaw were seen plying the streets of the district from Tuesday morning; however no long distance buses were seen.
Rangpur
10 people have been injured in a clash between BNP and Awami League activists in Ragpur’s Lalmonirhat. The clash took place in Noyarhaat area at around 11:30am on Tuesday. Three of the injured have been admitted to Lalmonirhat Sadar Hospital.
The clash took place after a pro-shutdown procession by the BNP leaders and activists met an anti-shutdown procession by Awami League activists and those of its allies, said OC Jamir Uddin for Sadar Police.
The situation there is now under control, he said.

Similarities in 1971, 2013 violence:Foreign Minister Dipu Moni

BANGLADESH NEWS

“The recent atrocities and violence remind us of the methods used in the 1971. It’s very unfortunate...we all believe it has to stop and we will all work for it,” she said replying to a question from an Indian journalist at a crowded press conference on the last day of Indian President Pranab Mukherjee’s visit.

Mukherjee’s visit was marred by shutdowns called by the Jamaat-e-Islami, fighting fiercely with police in different parts of the country.

Jamaat followers started violence on Feb 28 when the International Crimes Tribunal-1 handed down Jamaat leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee death penalty for his crimes against humanity including rape and murder in 1971.

Juxtaposing the Jamaat violence with the ongoing Shahbagh protest where thousands of youths have been protesting peacefully for nearly a month demanding capital punishment for war criminals, the Foreign Minister said they (Jamaat-e-Islami) knew ‘one and only method of violence.’

She said her party Awami League was ‘a huge party with huge support’, but they would not go for ‘tit for tat’ action, so that violence did not escalate.

“We are working to contain it,” she said and that there was nothing political in it. “It’s pure and simple violence and acts of terrorism.”

Drawing a comparison with the 1971 atrocities, the Foreign Minister said on Mar 25, 1971 police were the first ones to be attacked, and in the ongoing Jamaat protest also they were ‘attacking and killing’ policemen.

“They used the same methods (as in 1971) of killing people, intimidation, attacks on places of worship and minorities, vandalism at Shaheed Minars, desecration of the national flag, and attacking houses and offices of the Awami League and its followers.”

She said they were ‘damaging railways, our power stations, public properties, private properties, killing people and attacking police. We see a similarity (with 1971).”

“In ’71, if you (journalists) remember they wanted everything to be burnt down, to be wiped out...attacking the infrastructure, attacking our people, administration everything. These are the hallmarks I am talking about.”

She appreciated the Shahbagh movement as she said they were protesting ‘seriously, but peacefully.’

“We encourage that kind of protest and I am sure everybody around the world would also appreciate that such protest rather than what is being carried out by some quarters, who are not big in numbers, unlike Shahbagh, but are launching sometimes clandestine attacks.”

Replying to a query about banning Jamaat, she once again said the government would ‘definitely’ consider as the demand had been placed from the Shahbagh’s ‘Prajanma Chattar’ and that the Election Commission had a role to play in this regard.

She insisted that police fired only when they were ‘compelled to’.

North South University students Cops look out for Rajib murder 'mastermind'

BANGLADESH NEWS

One of them, an Islami Chhatra Shibir activist, was believed to be the mastermind behind Rajib’s killing, Mollah Nazrul Islam DMP's Deputy Police Commissioner told reporters at his office on Tuesday.

The five youths from North South University have confessed to taking part in Rajib's murder, DMP spokesperson and Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam informed earlier in the week. They also informed the police that the murder of the blogger was originally planned by a Shibir leader.

Police claims that the investigation into the murder of Rajib is a complete success, after they tracked down the five youths 14 days into the murder.

The five students are –Faisal Bin Nayeem alias Deep, 22, Maksudul Hassan Anik, 26, Ehsanur Reza Roman, 23, Nayeem Sikder Irad, 19, and Nafis Imtiaz, 22.

They were all studying in various departments at the private university.

Detective Branch said they were picked in the early hours of Saturday during raids at the capital's Khilgaon, Kakrail, Baridhara and Panthapath areas. The university expelled the five on Monday.

Those arrested confided to the police about their plans to kill seven other bloggers. Various information and evidence about these plans have also come to light, said Deputy Commissioner Nazrul Islam.

Two people including a woman witnessed the murderers running away in the area near Rajib’s Mirpur residence on the night of Feb 15. The physical descriptions provided by the witnesses match with two of those arrested, said the DB official.

Modern technology was used to nab the killers, he added.

One of the five arrested had left Dhaka for Bogra, while the others remained in the capital. He then returned to Dhaka. But so far no evidence has been found linking the confessed killers to any political parties, said police.

Spokesperson Monirul Islam had informed about a former Shibir leader being the mastermind behind the murder, during a press conference on Saturday following the arrest of the NSU students.

The former Shibir leader is among the two suspects police are in the look out for, Nazrul Islam said adding that those arrested have been sent to seven days in remand. They have been questioned for two days now. They will be produced in court for extracting a confessional testimony before their remand ends, said the officer.

Blogger and architect Ahmed Rajib Haider was hacked to death in front of his residence in Pallabi, Mirpur on Feb 15, ten days after the movement for demanding maximum penalty for war criminals started in Shahbagh.

He used to write blogs with the pseudo name ‘Thaba Baba’. His friend and family members believe he was killed by Jamaat-Shibir men for what he wrote in support of the on-going trials on war criminals.

Rajib has been hailed as the first martyr to have fallen for the struggle against war criminals from 1971.

Detective Police have been investigating the case filed by Rajib’s father.

Rural Elecrification Board (REB) chair speaks of Jamaat violence with tears

BANGLADESH NEWS

REB Chairman Brigadier General Moin Uddin said he never before witnessed such acts of atrocities.
“What I saw when I visited the devastated site would bring anyone to tears. One cannot fathom how the families there have been living, until they see it with their own eyes.”
He said, miscreants from Jamaat-e-Islami and their student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir vandalised and looted the REB association office after they seized it for five hours. The violence has devastated the 43 families of those who are employed there. Almost all the machineries have been burned to ashes.
Jamaat and Shibir activists took part in massive atrocities in REB association office in Kansat, Chapainawabganj on Feb 28, the day Jamaat executive council member Delwar Hossain Sayedee was sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal -1.
The unbarred violence caused damage worth Tk 2 billion, the board has said.
Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission (BIRC) held a press conference at noon on Tuesday to present the horrid atrocities that went on in there.
BERC member Selim Mahmoud said, “An establishment of Bangladesh’s sector for electricity and fuel has never before faced an attack so devastating. So we are requesting the government to take equally tough measures against those responsible.”
The attack began in Kansat at around 2:30pm amid the countrywide shutdown by Jamaat-e-Islami that was in effect that day.
Brigadier Moin said, “45,000 clients and 2,300 irrigation pumps in that area have been left without electricity ever since the attack. A total of 8,000 hectors of agricultural lands are left without power for irrigation.”
It will take almost two weeks to resume functioning, he said.
Moin describing the events on the fateful day saying, “At 2:30 some pro-shutdown activists arrived there. They left after hurling brickbats, vandalising and setting fire. Some 10 to 15 thousand people arrived shortly afterwards and entered the office premise. They went from house to house looting the households of the association’s officers after throwing the members out. Arson soon followed.”
“Vehicles, tools, paltry machineries, sub-station, residential and office buildings, store yard, deeds and documents along with all moveable and non movable properties were set on fire. The mayhem continued like this for 5 and half hours.”
Law enforcers and fire brigade were informed of the mayhem but they were unable to reach the association office in time due to the blockades on the road.
The first fire engine to pass all road obstructions reached there at 7pm and the fire was finally extinguished after efforts went on for 30 hours.
Among the machine and items that were destroyed or looted are -15 MVA Substation, four different types of transformers, seven voltage regulators of varying kind, seven phases and one 33 KV circuit breaker.

The list continues with 25 motorcycles, one jeep, one pick-up, tools to make lines, distribution transformers, all the tools in the work shop, all computers, billing and store management server, security cameras, solar panel, irrigation pump, over a hundred electric meters. Gold jewelleries, money and clothes have been looted.
Fire was set to the three storey office building, a duplex rest house, a c-type residential building, an e-type two storey building and one f-type four storey building.
The REB chairman said even the billing process will be extremely hard since the server has been destroyed. He is afraid this destruction may significantly damage the government and foreign funded power projects in that area.
“The biggest problem is the officials there have lost their will power. They are frightened to continue work there.”
Moinul said, several investigation committees have been formed and three cases have been filed for the incidents of arson and loot.
When asked about the accused in the cases he said, “Our officials and staff named the attackers they were able to identify. They said the mayhem was staged by locals and those who were supporting the Jamaat strike.”
Selim Mahmoud said, “The electricity and fuel sector has been targeted in Pakistani style. Tough measures must to be taken for the ones responsible”

Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Police free highways from ‘obstacles’

BANGLADESH NEWS

However, after Tuesday’s shutdown enforced by BNP, Jamaat’s key ally, ended in the evening, vehicles, large and small, were running on the highways across the country.

During its latest mayhem, Jamaat activists mainly targeted Bangladesh’s road communication system, which was apparent from the way they blocked the highways, uprooted rail tracks, set them on fire along with the train coaches.

Road communications through highways leading to Satkhira, Gaibandha, Cox’s Bazar, Chittagong, Chapainawabganj, Bogra and Joypurhat were closed in the past few days due to three consecutive days of strike by Jamaat and BNP.

Transferring patients from across the country to Dhaka was also impossible as the highways were blockaded. Several patients also died on the road.

Supplies of daily essential commodities were also stranded.

The country survived three days of shutdowns as Jamaat had called a 48-hours nationwide shutdown on Sunday and Monday and BNP on Tuesday.

Police cleared the roads after Tuesday’s shutdown ended while reports from different districts saying the highway communications were back up.

On Tuesday evening, Additional Superintendent of Cox’s Bazar district (ASP) Babul Akter told  that there were no barricades on highways in the district. “Vehicles are leaving for different destinations since afternoon.”

Several thousand tourists were also stranded in Cox’s Bazar over the past several days thanks to the violent spree and back-to-back shutdowns.

The road was blockaded at Satkania’s Keranihat on the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar highway. ASP Akter said, “The last barricade was at Satkania. There’s no problem in the area now.”

The district administrations had managed to send at least 250 tourists to their destinations from Cox’s Bazar by air and waterways two days ago while 500 more were still stuck there.

However, Akter said over 100 buses of transport companies will leave the resort town on Tuesday night. “These buses will start leaving from 9pm and will be given police protection. Police patrols on the highways will also continue.”

Superintendent of Chittagong Police KM Hafiz also said that there were no disruptions in vehicular movement in his city.

“The last barricade on the city roads was removed earlier on Tuesday morning. The flow of traffic is normal now,” he added.

Local police officials at northern part of the country also saidthere were no more barricades on the highways.

Superintendent of Police of Bogra district Mohammad Mozammel Haque told  that they had removed all obstacles from the roads in the morning.

Satkhira SP Mohammad Asaduzzaman also said vehicular movements in his district were normal. Top police officials from Chapainawabganj and Gaibandha also conveyed similar messages.

Transport owners had earlier said they would resume operations from Tuesday evening.

Manager of Hanif Paribahan, Bolai Chandra Das told that their buses were leaving according to the schedule since the evening.

Along with the road communications, Jamaat and Shibir activists had tried to completely shut off the railway communications but they did not fully succeed.

However, there were one incident of a train derailment and several accounts of setback in the scheduled departure of the trains.

Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir on Tuesday told Parliament that 67 people, including seven policemen, were killed until Monday after the mayhem started on Feb 28.

According to police, 10 people killed during the clashes in Bogra alone. Apart from them, nine were killed in Satkhira, six each in Joypurhat and Thakurgaon and five in Chittagong.

Three people were killed each in Chapainawabganj, Rajshahi, Sirajganj and Rangpur districts while two each were killed in Noakhali and Cox’s Bazar.

The Hindu minority was also not spared by the Jamaat mob who attacked their residences and temples.

The BNP had enforced a country-wide shutdown on Tuesday protesting against the ‘mass killings’ during the clashes. The main opposition alleged the deaths were results of ‘police atrocities’.

Bangladesh BNP, Jamaat leaders to face music for violence: home minister

BANGLADESH NEWS

The government has decided to take action against leaders of BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami for the recent violence, Home Minister MK Alamgir said on Tuesday.

Leaders of the central committees and local units of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its ally Jamaat would have to take all responsibilities for lives and properties lost in violence between Thursday and Monday, Alamgir said.

Presenting a statement at parliament, he said the action would be taken against the BNP-Jamaat leaders under the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2009.

The minister said 67 people — seven policemen, some common people and “criminals” of Jamaat — have been killed in the violence.

He claimed the law and order is under the control of the government.

Alamgir said so far 235 cases have been filed with different police stations and 1,500 people have been arrested during the mayhem.

The offences — killing, attack, capture and kidnap — carry upto death penalty under the anti-terrorism law.

Aiming to destroy unity, harmony, security and sovereignty of the country, forcing the government or any other people to do something or to refrain from doing something through creating panic among the people or any section of people would the considered as terrorism  according to the law.

A person could be sentenced to jail for any terms between three years and 20 years for providing funds or any other support or inspiring others to provide the same for terrorism activities.

Any conspiracy to carry out offences under the act will earn upto life term imprisonment.

For attempting to carry out any offence under the act, a person could be sentence to life in prison.

Under the act, abetting others to carry out offences is also punishable.

Instigating others to carry out offices under the act will earn maximum life term imprisonment.

Jamaat-Shibir attacks on Bangladesh Hindu community

BANGLADESH NEWS

Jamaat-Shibir attacks on Hindu community and their temples continued in different parts of the country yesterday creating widespread fear among general people living unprotected in rural areas.

Reports of arson, vandalism and physical assaults on members of Hindu community and also on Awami League activists have been rampant since Thursday, when the International Crimes Tribunal-1 had awarded death penalty to Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee.

Yesterday in Khulna, more than 300 Jamaat-Shibir and BNP acitivists brought out a procession from Chad Ali Bridge in Amadi Bazar area of Koyra upazila around 10:30am, during the BNP-called hartal.

Locals said the focus of the procession suddenly turned to Dhopapara, an extremely poor locality with predominantly Hindu population traditionally making a living on washing clothes. Within minutes, eight houses belonging to Hindus were set ablaze. While the Hindu men, women and children ran for safety, the attackers looted whatever they could put their hands on.

The attackers soon swooped on to nearby Amadi Bazar. They broke into eight to 10 shops belonging to local Hindus and looted them before being dispersed by Border Guard Bangladesh and police personnel around noon.

Meanwhile, the attack left a woman and a young man injured. They were admitted to the local health complex.

Amiya and Apurbo Das, who lost their home in the attack, said neighbours had tried to douse the fire but their thatched house stood no chance. Others who lost their houses to the arson include Subodh Das, Kartik Das and Sona Das. Each of the victim families had more than one thatched house. The attackers also torched a prayer room set up inside a house.

“We do not know what to do and are living in fear of further attacks,” said Apurbo Das. Locals said the attackers also unleashed violent assaults on several residents.

Officer-in-Charge (OC) Khairul Kabir of Koyra Police Station said they had arrested two Shibir activists from the area. “Two to three houses were torched and looted and about eight shops were looted during the attack,” said the OC.

Superintendent Golum Rouf Khan of Khulna police said BNP and Jamaat-Shibir men had set fire to thatched houses and a semi-concrete structure, and vandalised shops belonging to local Hindus.

The ploy in which attacks on Hindu temples and idols were executed, bear striking similarity in most cases throughout the country.

At Rotherpar village in Aditmari upazila of Lalmonirhat, religious fanatics entered the Sree Sree Shoshan Kali Mandir [temple] some time early hours yesterday and vandalised the temple smashing the idol of goddess Kali.

President of the temple committee Subhas Chandra Roy said they had lodged a written complaint with the police and it was now up to the law enforcers to take action.

At Lakhirpar village under Kotalipara upazila in Gopalganj, zealots set fire to a temple of goddess Kali on Monday around 7:45pm. The fire partially gutted the temple and destroyed four idols of the goddess. The arson instantly drew protests in the area.

Kotalipara police detained five suspects in this connection.

In Natore, Jamaat-Shibir men are strengthening themselves in the border areas of Lalpur upazila where Awami League activists and members of the Hindu community are living in fear.

On Monday evening, Jamaat-Shibir men in a bid to spread further panic set fire to a temple of Shoair village under Singra upazila and destroyed the Hori Protima [the idol of god Hori].

Isahaq Ali, secretary of Lalpur upazila unit Awami League, said Jamaat-Shibir men were capitalising on the innocence of the villagers through anti-minority propaganda.

“The situation is such that we cannot even go to the border areas of Char Jazira, Horir Char and Gorgoria where on the one hand, gangs of Jaamat-Shibir rule and on the other, outlaws roam around at large,” said Isahaq Ali.

In Chittagong, Hindu temple Sarbajaneen Magadeshwari Mandir at East Rupkania of Satkania upazila was torched early yesterday. Sukumar Nath, a local resident, said the arson took place around 2:30am.

“We woke up by the sound bamboos cracking in fire and witnessed our holy temple burn to ashes,” said Nath, adding, “We do not know who did it.”

Sub-Inspector Nazmul Alam of Satkania Police Station said the pattern of all the arson attacks leads police to suspect that Jamaat-Shibir fanatics had been involved in the act. Since Thursday, Jamaat-Shibir men had wrecked havoc in the area, mainly targeting the Hindu community.

The fanatics have changed their tactics for attacks on the state mechanisms. In Jhenidah, Lalmonirhat, Satkhira and elsewhere they shielded their attack force by luring rural women and children in the front line of the processions with religious propaganda.

In Uzirpur upazila of Barisal district, miscreants tried to set fire to Guthia Sarbajaneen Kali Mandir [temple] under Guthia union early yesterday.

President of the temple committee Sudhir Malakar said some miscreants had thrown burning torches of straw and tree branches inside the temple and fled the scene.

The fire died automatically as the branches and straw were not so dry but yet it partially damaged the fences said Sudhir, adding that they had informed the local upazila parishad chairman of the incident.

Officer-in-Charge Anwar Hossain of Uzirpur Police Station said a general diary had been lodged with them and that they had visited the spot and started investigating the arson attempt.

A lesson for all Shahbagh youths complete a month of non-violent movement,Bangladesh

BANGLADESH NEWS

A month after the Shahbagh movement took the country by storm, its spirit continues to energise the youths who refuse to leave the streets despite many challenges.

A dynamic rally marking one month of the protest took place at the capital’s Jatrabari yesterday, reminding everyone of the revolutionary gathering on February 5.

Imran H Sarker, the spokesperson for Gonojagoron Mancha, in his speech at the rally highlighted their major achievements and hurdles over the days, and urged protesters to continue the movement with the same determination with which they began it.

Tens of thousands of people joined the rally, despite security concern amid widespread instability and violence in the country.

“The Gonojagoron Mancha has set an example of a non-violent movement in the country,” stated Imran.

Addressing Jamaat-Shibir, he said, “Take lessons from Gonojagoron Mancha about what democracy means. Democracy doesn’t mean setting fire to buses and killing people; democracy doesn’t mean setting fire to houses or places of worship.”

Religious extremists had “gone crazy” because of the movement, he said.

Recalling that the Shahbagh Gonojagoron was labelled as a movement of atheists by Jamaat and its allies, he said, “You have seen that people from different religions, including religious people, have come here. They have proved that this is not a movement of atheists.”

Imran, also convener of Blogger and Online Activist Network, reiterated the movement’s strong stance against religious intolerance and bigotry.

In response to allegations that the movement has a political bias, he said diverse groups with disparate interests have come under the same umbrella to fight for a common cause. It is a rare occasion in Bangladesh.

“Even parties that refuse to be on the same stage with each other have put aside their differences for a unified movement.”

“We want to ask the politicians of this country to take another lesson from Gonojagoron Mancha. Please unite so you can collectively address the national issues.”

He also censured repeated threats on protesters and their families, and condemned the anti-liberation forces for spreading communal violence and hatred around the country.

He urged Muslims to protect the temples of Hindus and the Hindus to do the same for Muslims so that no one can ever disrespect a place of worship.

He also invited everyone to attend the grand rally on March 7 at Suhrawardy Udyan at 3:00pm, and urged all women and girls, women’s rights organisations and women’s groups to participate in the March 8 rally on the occasion of International Women’s Day.

Leaders from different student organisation, among others, spoke at the event.

KM Allama Hossain Mojjadeddi, an Islamic scholar, speaking at the rally said, “Jamaat cannot be an Islamic party. Those who will help Jamaat are not pious. It is haram (prohibited) to have relations with Jamaat.”

He also said three thousand Islamic scholars and leaders have given fatwa (religious edict) against Jamaat and Shibir, terming the organisations “Kafer [apostate]”.

“They [Jamaat-Shibir men] are now threatening Alem [Islamic scholar] community. They are saying they will make us disappear from this world and that we are dalal (agents). If we are agents, we are agents of the Liberation War.”

“Our brothers, friends, relatives and parents lost their lives in the Liberation War. We are also prepared to give ours,” he said.

Claiming to be a blogger, he said Rajib, a Shahbagh activist brutally murdered on February 15, did not write any anti-Islam posts. The Jamaat-Shibir is spreading propaganda regarding Rajib to confuse the people.

As usual, the overwhelming presence of students gave the rally its vibrant aura.

“We didn’t know what Razakar really meant and why they deserved punishment. But now, thanks to Shahbagh, we understand our history better,” said Shyamol Dewan, a tenth-grade student, who came to the rally with more than 250 classmates.

Sajjad Ahsan, a University of Liberation Arts student, who was injured in an accident recently, was seen making his way through the crowd with the aid of a crutch.

“I am not willing to miss this uprising because of injuries,” he said.