Thousands of people joining the protest rally organised by 14-party alliance yesterday vowed to fight against militancy to uphold the country's sovereignty, democracy and the sprit of hard-earned Liberation War.
At the rally called to protest the bomb attacks by the banned Islamist militant outfit Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB) and mourn for the people killed in the incidents, the 14-party leaders blamed the BNP-Jamaat alliance government for harbouring the militants.
They pledged to form committees to resist militants in every SEE PAGE 4 COL 3 FROM PAGE 1
villages, upazilas, district headquarters and cities to free the people.
They reiterated the demand for bringing reforms to the system of caretaker government and the Election Commission for the sake of a free and fair election.
Starting from Muktangon at about 4:15pm, the demonstrators marched through Noor Hossain Square, Golap Shah Shrine, Nagar Bhaban, Bangabazar, High Court intersection, and Doel Chattar before reaching the Central Shaheed Minar premises.
Addressing a rally at Muktangon, Awami League Presidium Member Abdur Razzak said, “Those who are using religion for their political ends are damaging the image of Islam, a religion of peace. Jamaat has created militancy to destroy the democracy and the sprit of the Liberation War.”
Urging the people to be united to
uproot the militancy to build a peaceful nation,
Razzak said the alliance government has completely failed to rein in militancy, price hike, terrorism and corruption.
The alliance government is not willing to curb militancy, Rashed Khan Menon said.
He urged the countrymen to resist the ministers and MPs who are sheltering the militants.
The militants are destroying the sprit of the Liberation War, democracy and the culture of the country with the patronisation of the alliance government, Saifuddin Ahmed Manik said.
The militants with support from the alliance government are claiming lives through suicide attacks on the courts and cultural organisations, said Matia Chowdhury.
She called upon the prime minister to seek apology to the countrymen at the Paltan Maidan before speaking for dialogue over militancy.
Tofail Ahmed urged the people to be united once again as they were united before the country's Liberation War to fight against the militancy and its patrons BNP-Jamaat alliance government.
Dilip Barua, Obaidul Quader, Mohammad Hanif, Sharif Nurul Ambia, MA Gani, among others, spoke at the rally.
Addressing a separate protest rally at the Paltan Intersection organised by the Communist Party of Bangladesh, the party President
Manjurul Ahsan Khan demanded immediate expulsion of the militants patrons from the government, their arrest and punishment.
A meeting of the 11-party chaired by its convenor eminent jurist Dr Kamal Hosain also urged the prodemocratic, progressive forces to resist militancy.
Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal Convenor Comrade Khalequzzaman demanded immediate arrest and punishment of the militants' godfathers.
Sammilita Nari Samaj and Narigrantha Prabartana in separate press releases urged all to build resistance committees to resist militancy.
Urging for a united resistance against militancy, Islami Oikya Jote Chairman Maulana Mohammad Ishaque said the militants are the enemy of the state and the religion.
Samajtantrik Chhatra Front demanded ban on fundamentalist politics in the country.
Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal, Left Democratic Front, Bangladesh Muktijuddho Projanmo and Bangladesh Juba Union will stage separate demonstrations in the city today protesting militancy.