Eminent citizens of the country at a national convention on Saturday called upon all to stand united against the anti-liberation communal forces to stop the ongoing countrywide violence and thus build a secular country.
“With our back against the wall, we (pro-liberation progressive forces) have no way but to wage a united movement against the anti-liberation forces. We’ll be able to resist them if we stand united. We shouldn’t confine our activities by raising only demands,” said Dr Ajoy Roy.
Sampradaikota-Jongibadbirodhi Mancha (Anti-communalism and militancy platform) organised the convention at the capital’s Engineers’ Institution.
Renowned educationists, journalists, writers, legal practitioners, human rights activists and cultural personalities joined the programme that began at 10 am.
They demanded an immediate ban on the politics of Jamaat-Shibir, expediting the ongoing war crimes trial, preventing the communal violence and standing by the victims, taking the country forward in line with the spirit of the Liberation War and keeping open the ways for free-thinking and resisting the plot to turn the country into Taliban-style state and upholding women rights.
Speaking on the occasion, executive director of Ain O Salish Kendra Advocate Sultana Kamal blamed the anti-liberation forces for destroying the spirit of the Liberation War and taking the country backward, and firmly said, “No one will be able to destroy the spirit of the 1971 Liberation War. The victory of humanity is certain.”
Pointing finger at Jamaat-BNP, she said the trial of those who had opposed the Liberation War will be held on Bangladesh’s soil. “And those who have taken a stance in favour of the anti-liberation forces must be accountable to people.”
Referring to the recent attacks on minority community, educationist Prof Sirajul Islam Chowdhury lamented, “Secularism and democracy could not be established at state-level over the last 42 years though the country got independence on the basis of that.”
He held responsible those doing politics for power for carrying out attack on the minorities.
Mentioning that the politics of Jamaat has now become a matter of threat, he said, “Organisations (which do politics in the name of religion) like Hefajat-e-Islam are now coming up with demands which could not be raised even during Pakistan regime.”
He stressed the need for strengthening cultural movement across the country to free the country from the clutches of communal forces.
Stating that Hefajat are now working as a subservient organization of Jamaat, Dr Ajoy Roy urged all to build a resistance against Hefajat.
Describing the recent subversive activities of Jamaat-Shibir, noted jurist Dr Shahdeen Malik said, “Such type of organisation is not allowed to do politics anywhere in the world.”
In a note of warning, he also warned, “BNP won’t exist in politics if it doesn’t part with Jamaat and Hefajat.”
Observing that Hefajat’s 13 demands go against the march forward of the country and women, right activist Khushi Kabir suggested the government declare Hefajat a terrorist outfit.
About the issue of banning Jamaat, journalist Abed Khan demanded the government take a decision in this regard immediately.
Prof Zafar Iqbal said, “If one of their demands is implemented, the country will lag behind 100 years. Thus, the country will go backward for 1300 years on the implementation of their 13-point demand.”
Prof Anisuzzaman said the government should confiscate assets of all the organizations affiliated with Jamaat that made it affluent.
DU vice-chancellor Prof AAMS Arefin Siddique, journalist Kamal Lohani, among others, addressed the programme held with Prof Anisuzzaman in the chair.
Different pro-liberation organisations expressed solidarity with the programme and joined it.
Source: UNBConnect
These so-called eminent persons have always been very vocal about secularism, ‘muktijuddher chetana’, ‘swadhinatar pokkher shokti’ and so on. And they’ve always stood against what Islamic ideology and values stand for. We all hate those who perpetrated heinous atrocities on innocent people during the liberation war in the name of Islam. But do a handful of criminals represent Islam? If it’s so, who do the Destiny and Hallmark people represent? Who do the corruptors of Padma bridge represent? There was no existence of any Islamist party from 1970 to 1975? But both before and after that what did we see? Rampant corruption, plundering public money and poperty, taking recourse to every unethical and immoral means to achieve personal gains, manipulate the history of liberation to their own advantage etc. Though we saw none holding up ‘Islamic politics’ from 1970 to 1975, that did not deter any ‘muktijuddher chetanadhari’ or ‘swadhinatar pokkher shokti’ to plunder national assets just after liberation, shamelessly misappropriate relief materials donated by foreign countries (for which Bangabandhu had to say ‘We got 75 million rags but where’s mine? or ‘Everyone got gold mines but I’ve got mines of thieves.’). These eminent persons (?) are very vocal against any principle based on Islamic dictats and values but they are never that vocal against the avalanche corruption in share market, defrauding NCBs of billions of taka by Hallmark etc group, defrauding gullible common people of billions by Destiny, Unipay2, etc – all in the name of ‘muktijuddher chetana’, ‘swadhinatar pokkher shokti’ and so on. And who made them so ’eminent’? It’s the sole credit of a section of ‘domestic’ media that make a gnat an eagle and vice versa. Thanks to the almighty media!