Political parties, student bodies plan big centring 15 Aug to counter ‘AL show’

Amid rumours that the Awami League, ousted from power, is planning a showdown for National Mourning Day on 15 August, parties like BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, along with students, have also chalked out programmes centring the day to counter any possible AL-led events.

Today (13 August), the interim government cancelled the general holiday on 15 August marking National Mourning Day, which commemorates the killing of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members in 1975.

Home Affairs Adviser Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain told reporters that a large number of police, RAB, and BGB will be deployed on the day so that no one can create any kind of chaos.

The BNP, Jamaat and other like-minded parties have planned to stay on the streets on 15 August, while the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement announced a "Resistance Week" programme. Besides, 34 student organisations decided not to observe the National Mourning Day.

At a rally in the capital's Shahbagh today, the BNP announced its intention to hold nationwide sit-in programmes on 14, 15, and 16 August.

The party will also stage sit-ins in front of Awami League offices across the country on 14 and 15 August.

At the rally, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said, "A conspiracy is underway to destabilise our country. We know who these conspirators are, and every one in Bangladesh knows them. Such conspiracies will not be tolerated any longer."

A BNP vice-chairman, who requested anonymity, told TBS that using religion as a shield, the Awami League and Indian agents are organising activities. "They are using people of the Hindu community to advance their agendas. We have mobilised patriotic Hindus to counter these attempts," he said.

Jamaat-e-Islami and other smaller parties are also set to organise nationwide activities to counter any potential disruptions caused by the Awami League centring the day, according to party sources.

Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami, will be active across the country, sources said.

A senior Jamaat-e-Islami leader, speaking anonymously, told TBS, "We have protected temples, but Indian spies and the Awami League agents continue to falsely claim that Hindus are being persecuted in Bangladesh."

In addition to the programmes of the political parties, students have also announced programmes centring 15 August, said Tahmid Al Mudassir Chowdhury, a coordinator of the anti-discrimination student movement.

"All student organisations are vigilant about Indian provocations and have reached a consensus on a counter-measure," he added.

At least 34 student organisations, including student wings of various political parties, have decided not to observe the National Mourning Day.

The decision was taken at a view exchange meeting of the leaders of the student bodies organised by the liaison committee of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement at the TSC Auditorium at Dhaka University today.

Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student wing of Awami League, and the Jatiyo Chatra Samaj, the student wing of Jatiyo Party, were not invited to the meeting.

ICT Advisor Nahid Islam and Sports Advisor Asif Mahmud, both of whom are coordinators of the student movement, were present at the meeting.

Students gathered in front of the Raju Memorial Sculpture at Dhaka University yesterday afternoon, holding various placards.

They observed a one-minute silence in memory of the students killed during the quota reform movement, followed by prayers and memorial services, reports UNB. 

'Resistance Week' for four new demands 

The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement announced a "Resistance Week" programme, to press home their four-point demand.

The programme includes a nationwide road march towards locations where the students sacrificed their lives during the quota reform movement, as per a statement by Abu Baker Mazumdar, coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.

The four new demands of the platform are as follows:

A special tribunal must be formed to ensure the swift trial of Sheikh Hasina and her party leaders for "massacres" carried out using the law enforcers.

Those involved in the planned killings, robberies, and looting "by the Awami League and its affiliates" to undermine the people's uprising must be brought to justice swiftly, and the rightful demands of minorities must be acknowledged.

Immediate removal and prosecution of those in the administration and judiciary who legitimised attacks and cases against the students and mass people, and who repeatedly attempted to establish a fascist regime.

Equal opportunities must be ensured soon for those who have been victims of discrimination within the administration and judiciary.