Protesters for Khaleda’s release clash with police

Police fired teargas shells to disperse activists of different organisations leaning to Bangladesh Nationalist Party as they without any notice blocked Maulana Bhashani Road in front of the Supreme Court demanding unconditional release of imprisoned ailing BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Roads surrounding the Supreme Court and nearby areas including Segunbagicha, Topkhana Road, Abdul Gani Road, Purana Paltan came to standstill because of severe traffic congestion until police dispersed the demonstrators from the Supreme Court’s main gate.

The demonstrators also threw stones on police and vandalised few vehicles.

Under the banner of Ranaganer Muktijoddha O Muktijuddher Prajanma (freedom fighters of the battlefield and their offspring), several hundred activists of different fronts of BNP put a barricade on Maulana Bhasani Road in front of the High Court with concrete blocks at about 12:45pm and continued demonstration there for about one hour and a half.

Blocking the road from Kadam Fountain to foreign ministry, the activists chanted slogans demanding immediate release of Khaleda Zia and seeking a greater movement against the ‘repressive and corrupt’ Awami League government.

Crowd gathered at the venue immediate after Ishtiaq Aziz Ulfat, who presided over the event, asked people present there to take to streets instantly. 

Responding to his call, pro-BNP activists waiting at nearby areas rushed to the venue ignoring police obstruction at Kadam Fountain blocked the road.

BNP vice-chairmen Abdullah Al Noman and Shaukat Mahmood, Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal president Ishtiaq Aziz Ulfat, freedom fighter and Gonoshasthaya Kendra trustee Zafrullah Chowdhury led the demonstrators.

Some at the demonstrators carried placards reading slogans against the government’s failure, misrule. Oppressing opposition and being submissive to India.

‘We have organised the event to involve common people in our protest programmes,’ said Abdullah Al Noman.

Activists of Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal, Jatiyabadi Chhatra Dal, Jatiyatabadi Hawkers Dal and others joined the demonstration that continued until the police dispersed it at about 2:20pm firing teargas shells.

Police kept all gates of Supreme Court shut as the demonstrators began chanting slogans for release of Khaleda who is in jail since February 8, the day when a special court in Dhaka awarded her in a graft case which BNP termed false and fabricated.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Ramna Zone deputy commissioner Sazzadur Rahman said, ‘While leaving the place, they threw brickbats targeting the police and vandalised many vehicles stuck on the road for an hour.’

He said police will identify the demonstrators through CCTV footages and take action. ‘They blocked the VVIP road without permission and created panic,’ he said.

Sub-inspector Sagar Das, duty officer at Shahbagh police station, told New Age at 10:00pm that process of filing a case in this regard was on.

BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed, who was supposed to attend the demonstration as chief guest, was absent.

BNP vice-chairmen Hafizuddin Ahmed and Abdullah Al Noman, Nagarik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahaman Manna, freedom fighters Zafrullah Chowdhury, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists faction president Ruhul Amin Gazi, Sammilita Peshajibi Parishad president and also a BNP vice-chairman AZM Zahid Hossain spoke at the demonstration.

They said the Awami League illegally ceasing the power had turned the country into a police state which people did not experience even during the war of independence in 1971.

They said the independence war was not fought to face unemployment, price hike, corruption in the name of mega-projects, imbalanced deals with India, and incidents of money laundering.

They urged people to join their movement for forcing the ‘illegal government’ to step down and free detained Khaleda Zia.

‘Over the time, we did not have the courage to rally out on the streets. Now, we will wage movements under the leadership of the freedom fighters,’ Hafizuddin said.

Referring to the failure of the government to control price of the essentials and rampant corruption, Manna said, ‘People did not liberate the country for a Bangladesh like this. We have to rule out the party in power.’

Zafrullah Chowdhury said, ‘Hasina does not even get due respect from her master, the Indian government, these days. This government has no stronghold now.’

Noman said they would not wait for order of any leader nor would seek permission from Awami League government to wage movement for releasing Khaleda.

After the police interference, pro-BNP lawyers held a rally on High Court compound extending solidarity with the demonstrators. 

Former Supreme Court Bar Association president Khandker Mahbub Hossain said they would continue protests until their demands were met.

He said their intention was not to influence the court where hearing of Khaleda’s bail petition scheduled for tomorrow. ‘Our intention is to express the solidary with the people who were protesting at the unlawful interference of the government on judiciary to detain Khaleda Zia,’ said Mahbub, also a BNP vice-chairman.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net