The state minister for home has leapt to the defence of the police action on Ganajagaran Mancha activists, arguing no-one can protest blocking streets.
Mancha activists, displeased with the Supreme Court reducing Delwar Hossain Sayedee’s death sentence to ‘imprisonment until life’, agitated at the capital’s Shahbagh intersection on Wednesday.
Police dispersed angry protesters with tear gas and water cannon, which left five people including the platform’s spokesperson Imran H Sarkar injured.
“A single verdict cannot please everyone. They wanted the maximum punishment of death, but did not get it.
File Photo
“That does not mean they can block the streets disrupting traffic. Every one should respect the court’s verdict,” state minister Kamal told reporters on Wednesday.
He said he himself hoped that the Appellate Division would uphold the death sentence handed down by the war crimes tribunal.
“Reactions over the verdict will vary. But we have to do our duty to protec the people’s lives and property,” said Kamal.
The Ganajagaran Mancha was formed on Feb 5 last year, protesting against the tribunal’s verdict which gave life in prison to Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Molla.
The demonstration at Dhaka’s busy intersection, Shahbagh, lasted for nearly than a month. The police had then provided security for the protestors.
The protests led to amendment of the law, which allowed the prosecution to file an appeal against the tribunal’s verdict.
The Supreme Court later gave death sentence to Molla and he was executed in Dec last year.
Source: Bd news24
