Dhaka, Dec 7 (bdnews24.com) – The Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and the Bangladesher Samajtantrik Dal (BSD) on Friday called a nationwide daylong shutdown for Dec 18 mainly to heighten pressure on the government to outlaw the rampaging Jamaat-e-Islami.
CPB President Mujahidul Islam Selim put forth a set of demands at a press conference, including ban on ‘all communal political parties’ and quicker war crimes trial.
He alleged the far-right party was unleashing violent acts of crimes in several programmes including a recent shutdown as the nation will be celebrating victory in the War of Independence from Pakistan.
He also said Jamaat recently raised demands for release of the suspected war criminals and dissolution of the tribunals set up to deal with crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Liberation War.
He claimed such move by the Islamist party was ‘tantamount to sedition’.
Top eight Jamaat leaders are facing trial at the two war crimes tribunals and hearings in some cases are at the final stages.
The Jamaat enforced daylong shutdown on Dec 4 pressing for release of its top leaders facing trials at the tribunals.
Its supporters have gone on the rampage for days since early October recently demanding release of their top leaders. Members of the police, Law Minister Shafique Ahmed’s motorcade and a vehicle of the US Embassy came under their attacks.
The CPB chief said: “We, the pro-liberation force, will observe the shutdown on Dec 18 to ban all of the activities of Jamaat.”
He also urged the freedom fighters to join the general strike. “The Razakars had observed hartals earlier… Now we the freedom fighter will.”
He said Jamaat had no scope to pursue politics in the country as per the ‘Instrument of Surrender’ of the Pakistan occupation forces signed on Dec 16, 1971.
Selim tagged the party a ‘terrorist organisation’ and argued it could not have the rights enjoyed by a mainstream political party.
“I don’t understand how they were registered with the Election Commission despite their not fulfilling its conditions,” he said.
Their other demand include arrest and trial of the ‘owner and pro-government people’ responsible for the Nov 24 fire at Tazneen Fashions, ensuring fair wages of the workers and their right to trade union.
Meanwhile, Ganatantrik Baam Morcha, a combine of left parties, called a countrywide dawn-to-dusk shutdown on the same day to press their several demands, including arrest of the owner and officials of Tazreen Fashions, where a deadly blaze claimed at least 110 lives recently.
A media statement of Ganatantrik Baam Morcha (Democratic Left Alliance) released on Friday said their other demands include allowing trade unions at all factories, rescinding the decision to increase electricity and fuel prices, completing the trial of the suspected war criminals and measures to end border killings by India.
The statement said the general strike has been called from an emergency meeting at Gana Sanghati Andolan headquarters.
Source: Bd News24