Those who opposed Bangladesh’s freedom towered over Suhrawardy Udyan on Friday, their pictures in floating balloons reminding the nation of the irony of its contemporary politics.
Activists of the Islami Chhatra Shibir released balloons with pictures of Jamaat-e-Islami leaders who have been convicted of ‘war criminals’.
The balloons were released at a rally held by the BNP-led 18-Party alliance at Suhrawardy Udyan on Friday.
One of the four balloons released around 1pm, however, was pulled down.
All the balloons had pictures of convicted ‘war criminals’ — Ghulam Azam, Delwar Hossain Sayedee, Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mujaheed and Abdul Quader Molla.
Pictures of two other Jamaat leaders, Motiur Rahman Nizami and ATM Azaharul Islam, who were also charged with crimes against humanity during 1971 Liberation War and now under trial, were also up on the balloons.
BNP Metropolitan Member Secretary Abdus Salam, conducting the rally, had asked the Shibir activists to bring down two balloons kept in front of the stage.
But instead of putting them away, they released them in the air.
Suhrawardy Udyan was earlier known as the Race Course Ground.
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gave his historic speech on March 7, 1971 from here.
Later, on Dec 16, 1971 the Pakistani army formally surrendered at the same venue.
In 1994, the war criminals were given a symbolic death sentence from a Gana Adalat (Mass Tribunal) led by Shaheed Janani Jahanara Imam at Suhrawardy Udyan.
On Friday morning, the Shibir activists arrived there to join the 18-party alliance rally with pictures of Jamaat leaders, convicted and prosecuted on charges of war crimes, and banners demanding their release.
Source: Bd news24
