Ganajagaran Mancha activists will continue occupying the Prajanma Chattar until the verdict of Mujahid
Activists of Ganajagaran Mancha have said they will continue occupying the Prajanma Chattar at Shahbagh until the verdict for Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mujaheed is delivered.
Its Spokesman Imran H Sarker made the announcement on Tuesday noon after rejecting the 90-year in jail verdict against Jamaat supremo Ghulam Azam who masterminded the 1971 war crimes.
“The sit-in will continue as usual until the verdict is pronounced tomorrow (Wednesday),” he said. ”We will give our reaction to the verdict from here (Shahbagh).”
Sarker believed the International War Crimes Tribunal-1 verdict for Ghulam Azam failed to reflect people’s expectation.
He, however, said they hoped Wednesday’s verdict for Mujaheed will fulfil the anticipations of the common people.
Earlier, police barred the Ganajagaran Mancha activists from taking out processions and holding rallies at Shahbagh during a strike called demanding maximum penalty for former Jamaat chief Ghulam Azam.
The tribunal pronounced the verdict on Monday considering his age and failing health which triggered nationwide protests.
Protestors started gathering at the key intersection since Tuesday morning, joined by supporters of like-minded student and youth fronts.
Maruf Rasool, one of the initiators of the Mancha, alleged police stopped them from taking out a procession around 7:30am. He said police also did not allow them to hold a rally at Shahbagh after their procession.
“We were asked to confine ourselves to the Dhaka University campus,” he alleged.
Several hundred policemen were seen deployed around the ‘Prajanma Chattar’ at Shahbagh.
Police, however, said they did not stop the protestors. “We asked them not to stay on the street and interrupt traffic,” Shahbagh police Inspector MA Jalil told bdnews24.com.
“We requested them move inside the university area but still they had taken out small processions,” he said.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Shibli Noman said steps had been taken to avert traffic snarls that add to commuters’ misery.
The Mancha activists staged a rally in front of the National Museum as they failed to block Shahbagh intersection.
Maruf Rasul said the Mancha activists positioned themselves at 20 points in the capital.
According to reports, the Mancha supporters have gathered at Mirpur 1 and 10, Paltan, Jatrabarhi, Malibagh, Khilgaon, Abdullahpur, Technical More, Mohammadpur Town Hall, Azimpur, Savar, and Natun Bazar, among other places.
Meanwhile, four homemade bombs exploded at Shahbagh on Monday night after one explosion in the afternoon. Police recovered several more from the scene.
It is not clear who were behind it but suspicion falls on those who oppose the Ganajagaran Mancha and its anti-fundamentalist postures.
Source: Bd news24