The family members of Piash Karim never had thought of either taking his body to Shaheed Minar or seeing the politics over it.
They think what is happening centering his body, is “embarrassing to the family,” and they consider it a “disrespect” to Piash as well.
Since after Piash’s death and the following announcement that the body would be taken to Shaheed Minar, controversy soon brew up over for and against whether he could be taken there.
This became particularly intense when some announced they were stern to take him there and some began to protest.
Piash’s younger brother Zahir Karim, a fashion designer by profession, talked with Dhaka Tribune on the issue in detail on Thursday afternoon.
He said: “It was not the decision of our family to take Piash Karim’s body to Shaheed Minar.”
“As people are doing politics with the body, we firmly decided not to take him to Shaheed Minar at all,” he added.
Zahir said they never thought there could be politics over Piash’s body and would give rise to mutually opposing sides.
He informed that his three sisters live abroad and the family members thought the sisters would take the decision regarding where Piash would be buried.
He continued: “At that time, some of the friends and fellows of Piash Karim came forth and said they wished to pay him respect.”
He further added: “Then they proposed two things, one, they want to perform his funeral ritual in Baitul Mokarram; and then they would take his body to Shaheed Minar to pay respect.”
He said their family gave a consent to the idea as the burial was being delayed.
“As soon as the controversy was created and began to spread, we gave up the idea of taking him to Shaheed Minar,” he added.
Zahir said: “Now we feel what happened over the issue has created quite an embarrassing situation for our family, which is at the same time disrespectful for Piash Karim as well. We do not want it to linger any more. All we now want is that his soul rest in peace.”
Zahir informed that from the mortuary Piash’s body would be taken to his residence at Dhanmondi and would be kept for two hours.
“Then the funeral ritual would be performed at Baitul Mukarram Mosque. He will then be taken to Banani graveyard for burial,” he added.
Piash Karim, a Brac University teacher and a regular talk show commentator lately, came under serious criticism after some of the comment about Shahbagh Movement, which the supporter of the movement dubbed something that went against the spirit of the Liberation War.
Source: Dhaka Tribune
