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Eminent citizens for implementing women's policy

Demand punishment for violence

Staff Correspondent
Eminent citizens yesterday said the government should implement the National Women Development Policy (NWDP), 2008 for the empowerment of women and punish the people who are guilty of the violence on the National Mosque premises demonstrating against the policy on April 11. Academicians, female journalists and eminent citizens said this at a views-exchange meeting on "Equal Rights of Men and Women: An Unavoidable Condition for Civilisation" at the Jatiya Press Club in the city.
A number of the speakers at the meeting, jointly organised by Nari Sangbadik Kendra and Progressive
Journalists Forum, also demanded the resignation of Law Adviser Hassan Ariff and the Khatib of the National Mosque.
National Professor Kabir Chowdhury said, "The country cannot progress ignoring the rights of women. They should be given equal rights in every sphere of life."
"Some among those who are agitating against the NWDP, 2008 and creating violent situation around the National Mosque are the war criminals of 1971. They should be punished," said Kabir Chowdhury.
Supreme Court Bar Association President Barrister Amir-Ul Islam said, "Islam is the first religion that told about equity among all human beings; so, according to Islam there is no bar to implement (he NWDP, 2008."
"The government should form a judicial commission to investigate the anarchy on April 11 using the National Mosque and punish the people responsible for the vandalism," he said, adding, "The government is patronising the fundamentalist force like the previous BNP-Jamaat government."
"Those who are opposing the NWDP, 2008 are opposing Islam because Islam had given the right to women to earn resources which is what the NWDP, 2008 promotes," the barrister said.
General Secretary Dhaka University Teachers Association Prof Anwar Hossain said, "The force that has created anarchy on the National Mosque premises was supported by an intelligence agency. We want an end to such Rile. This group is running the government from behind."
Dhaka University Professor Muntasir Mamun said, "Those who have created anarchy near the National Mosque have committed such acts after getting the green signal from a section of the government."
He said, "We should demand the resignation of Law Adviser Hassan Ariff and the Khatib of the National Mosque.”
Eminent writer and commentator Shahriar Kabir said, "For whom is the state of emergency? When we sought permission to hold a meeting on April 25 under the banner of Samajik Protirodh Committee demanding the implementation of the NWDP that was announced by the government it was denied, but the fundamentalist forces did not bother to seek permission and indulged in violence. Nothing was done to stop them."
He demanded termination of the appointment of the Khatib of the National Mosque. Charges of sedition should be brought against him as he threatened the government with civil war. he said. He also demanded resignation of Law Adviser Hassan Ariff.
Shahriar said, "If die government is a pro-liberation one, then it should arrest Nizami-Mojahid-Amini-gang on sedition charges."
Former army chief Lt Gen (retd) Harun-ar-Rashid, Editor of daily Shamokal Abed Khan and Dhaka University Professor Sadeka Halim spoke at the meeting among others. Journalist Kamal Lohani chaired the meeting.
The Nari Sangbadik Kendra demanded immediate implementation of die NWDP. 2008 and trial of the war criminals.