ATTACK ON ZAFAR IQBAL Protests spill across country

Political parties, rights groups, socio-cultural organisations, professional bodies and students’ organisations burst into protests across the country condemning the attack on popular author Muhammad Zafar Iqbal. 
Muhammad Zafar Iqbal, who is also a professor of the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology, was stabbed by a youth causing serious injury in the back of the head on campus Saturday afternoon and later sent to Combined Military Hospital in Dhaka. 
The doctors on Sunday said he was getting better and remained out of danger.
Protesting at the attack, different organisations took to the streets in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country for
the second day.

Ganajagaran Mancha activists stage a rally in the front of the National Museum in Dhaka on Sunday condemning the attack on writer and teacher Zafar Iqbal. — New Age photo

Political parties including Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh, Workers Party of Bangladesh, CPB-SPB and Democratic Left Alliance, Samyabadi Dal and Ganashanghati Andolan protested against the attack on Zafar Iqbal in press releases. 
Former Bangladesh president and Bikalpa Dhara president AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury said the government was also responsible for the attack as it is the government’s responsibility to ensure security of every citizen.
Workers Party of Bangladesh organised a protest rally in front of the National Press Club and demanded proper investigation to find out the masterminds of the attack.
Rights group Ain O Salish Kendra in a press statement said it was a matter of concern that the writer was attacked while he was in police protection.
‘The government should immediately bring the attackers and plotters to the justice,’ ASK press statement said.
University Grants Commission chairman professor Abdul Mannan protested at the attack on Zafar Iqbal. 
Students and teachers of different public universities, including Dhaka University, Jahangirnagar University, Rajshahi University, Khulna University, Mawlana Bhashani Science and Technology University, Chittagong University held rallies, human chains and processions on their campuses protesting at attack on the teacher of computer science and engineering department. 
Progressive Students’ Alliance, a platform of left student organisations, brought out a procession on DU campus protesting at the attack, while Pahari Chhatra Parishad expressed their concern over the attack in a press release.
Sammilita Sangskritik Jote, a platform of cultural organisations, held a protest rally in the Central Shaheed Minar in capital. 
At the rally, cultural activists, namely Ramendu Majumder, Mamunur Rashid, Fakir Alamgir, and minister for cultural affairs Asaduzzaman Noor addressed and strongly condemned the attack. 
From the rally the Jote announced to organise human chain in all Shaheed Minars in 64 districts at afternoon on March 6. 
Ganajagaran Mancha held a protest rally at Shahbagh after taking out a procession from Shahbagh to TSC intersection in DU.
Its spokesperson Imran H Sarker asked the government to expose the identity of the attacker, who was caught after stabbing the noted writer.
‘Along with the arrested attacker all the masterminds’ identity must be exposed by the government,’ he said.
Addressing the rally rights activist Sultana Kamal said the latest attack on Zafar Iqbal occurred as the culture of impunity reign in the country.

Cultural affairs minister Asaduzzaman Noor addresses a Sammilita Sangskritik Jote rally at the Central Shaheed Minar on Sunday in protest at the attack on Professor Zafar Iqbal. — New Age photo

Rights activist Khushi Kabir said government’s silence prompted the attacks on progressive minds.
‘The government remained silent on many issues including the recent rape of Marma sisters, for which such incidents were increasing,’ she said. 
The Mancha also declared to form human chains in all educational institutions across the country on March 6 and to hold protest rallies across the country on March 8.
Several political, socio-cultural organisations and citizen bodies held rallies, procession and human chain in Chittagong, Jessore, Barisal and many other places in the country.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net