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KIBRIA KILLING

Thousands line up to demand arrest of killers

STAFF CORRESPONDENT
Thousands of people came down onto the streets in the capital and elsewhere in the country to press the government for the arrest and trial of the killers of former finance minister and Awami League (AL) lawmaker Shah AMS Kibria.
The streets in the capital were crowded with people from all walks
of life who wore black badges and carried black flags to express solidarity with the non-violent movement called by Kibria's family.
Led by Asma Kibria, widow of the slain lawmaker, people lined up by the hundreds in front of Kibria's Dhanmondi residence forming a human chain, a week after holding a similar demonstration there.
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Family-members of the victims of last year's August 21 grenade attacks as well as slain AL lawmaker Ahsanullah Master, AL leader Manjurul Imam and Mamtaj Hossain also joined the demonstration.
There were also demonstrations at other parts of the city including Dhaka University campus, Science Laboratory intersection, Paltan intersection, Motijheel and Bangabandhu Avenue.
Kibria, his nephew and three AL activists were killedin a grenade attack on anAL rallyin Habiganj on January 27.
Leading intellectuals, opposition lawmakers and politicians, freedom fighters, cultural and human rights activists, lawyers, teachers, students, professionals, development workers, housewives and commoners joined the silent protest from 4:30pm to 5:00pm.
Many participants carried black banners and waved small black flags while others held portraits of Kibria and placards inscribed with slogans demanding the trial of the killers.
As the 30-minute silent demonstration ended, Asma Kibria launched a mass signature campaign in front of her residence.
A large number of people stood in a queue to express solidarity with Kibria's family and singed a long white cloth. The mass signature campaign will continue across the country till March 2.
Main opposition AL and its front
organisations, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Gono Forum, Workers' Party, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) and Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh joined the demonstration expressing solidarity with Kibria's family.
Families of the slain lawmaker have urged Bangladeshi communities across the world to hold a similar silent demonstration in a public area for an hour today, starting at either 10am or 4pmlocal time.
"Spontaneous public participation has made me determined to continue the movement," Asma Kibria told newsmen .
"We will continue the movement with different types of non-violent programmes to press the demand of bringing the killers tojustice," she said.
She also announced holding a mass rally shortly to unite people against violence.
Asma Kibria said members of the civil society should take an initiative in forming the people's inquiry commission to probe Kibria's killing.
Gono Forum President Dr Kamal Hossain, who joined the demonstration, said, "People are united and have spontaneously taken to the streets demanding that the culprits be brought to justice."
He said people want a functional investigation into the killing of Kibria and such previous incidents in the country.
Referring to the frequent grenade
attacks, the eminent lawyer said national security is under threat.
Opposition Chief Whip in the Parliament Abdus Shahid said people have lost their confidence in the government. "People will not get justice for the killing of Kibria under the alliance government," he said, adding that the present government has no intention to find the culprits. Jahid Ahsan Russell, AL lawmaker and son of slain AL lawmaker Ahsanullah Master, said, "I am here to seek justice for my father's assassination and also the killing of Shah AMS Kibria."
"We are here because we want the government to realise that people are really upset and want a change," he added.
Niva Momtaz, daughter of slain AL leader Momtaz Hossain said,
"For last the two years I have not received justice for the cruel killing of my father. I appeal to people to do whatever possible for bringing the culprits to justice."
AL Organising Secretary Saber Hossain Chowdhury and Supreme Court Bar Association President barrister Rokanuddin Mahmud joined the programme.
AL leaders Amir Hossain Amu, Abdur Razzak, Tofael Ahmed and Abdul Jalil joined the silent demonstration in front of AL's central office on Bangabandhu Avenue where several hundred opposition men gathered,
carrying portraits of Kibria and placards embossed with anti-government slogans.
Dhaka University teachers with a banner 'Teachers against violence' formed a human chain near the Central Shaheed Minar to protest the killing of Kibria.
Dhaka University Teachers Association President Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique and its General Secretary Dr Akhtaruzzaman led the demonstration.
Activists of Sammilito Sangskritik Jote and Awami Sangskritik Jote also formed a human chain there.
Opposition backed student organisations held a demonstration near the TSC on the Dhaka University campus.
CPB General Secretary Mujahidul Islam Selim led the demonstration at Purana Paltan area.
Our staff correspondent from Chittagong reports: Thousands of people from all walks of life in the port city observed a 30 minute silent protest demanding punishment for the killers of Shah AMS Kibria. Politicians, intellectuals, lawyers, cultural activists, teachers, students and journalists joined the silent protest staged at Shaheed Minar, Press Club and Laldighi ground separately.
Eminent personalities including M Hamid, Liakawt Ali Lucky, Mamunur Rashid, Keramat Mawla, Dr Jamal Nazrul Islam, and poet Abul Momen took partin it.
City AL staged the half-hour sit in at the Laldighi ground from 4:30pm to 5:00pm. AL leader and city Mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury led the programme.
Our Moulvibazar Correspondent adds: AL, JSD and the left-leaning 11 party alliance formed a human chain separately, responding to the call of Asma Kibria. Hundreds of people including political, cultural and social leaders took part in the silent demonstration.
AL and JSD leaders and workers formed a human chain at Berirpar area of the town where district AL President Syed Mohsin Ali and district JSD leader Mirza Farid Beg participated.
Leaders of the 11-party alliance, Mohila Parishad, Udichi, Khelaghar and Jatiya Kabita Parishad jointly formed a human chain at Chowmohona square where advocate Mokbul Hossain (CPB), Dr Gopesh Chandra Das (Gonotontri Party), advocate Pijush Kanti Sen of Oil-Gas-Port Protection Committee, among others, took part.
At Satmatha in Bogra, professionals participated in a human chain programme demanding arrest and trial of the killers of Shah AMS Kibria. Several hundreds political leaders and workers also expressed solidarity with the programme.