Violence over CAA protesters India’s internal issue: Obaidul
Bangladesh Awami League general secretary and road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader on Friday said again that Bangladesh could not observe the Mujib Year without inviting representatives from its crucial-time friend India.
‘Bangladesh cannot deny India’s support during the Liberation War in 1971,’ he said while addressing as the chief guest an event organised by Shaheed Selim-Delwar Smriti Parishad at Hatirpool in the capital.
On February 28, 1984, Selim and Delwar, students of Dhaka University, were killed during a demonstration against the military dictator Hussain Muhammad Ershad.
Terming the on-going violence against of the protesters of the Citizenship Amendment Act in India an internal issue, Obaidul hoped that India would fix their internal crisis.
In 1971 India provided shelter and training to freedom fighters and hosted several million Bangladeshi refugees who fled the Pakistani persecution to India.
‘The India-Bangladesh relation was achieved at the cost of blood in 1971, now our relation is excellent and India is a trusted friend,’ he said.
So, he went on, it is unthinkable to celebrate the birth centenary of the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman without India’s representation.
AL presidium member Jahangir Kabir Nanak recalled the memories of Selim and Delwar and said that they were Chhatra League leaders of Dhaka University in 1984.
Chhatra Sangram Parishad brought out a procession from DU Madhur Canteen and was parading roads to drum up support for a strike called against military dictator Ershad.
Suddenly, a police truck came running through the demonstrating students and killed Selim and Delwar, he said.
Shaheed Selim-Delwar Smriti Parishad president Abdul Wadud chaired the discussion, where Muktijhoddha Oikya Mancha president Ruhul Amin Mazumder and advocate Momtaj Uddin Mehedy spoke among others.
Abdul Wadud demanded the empowerment of political leaders instead of businessmen as they, he said, were gradually grabbing politics.
A milad and special prayer was held after the discussion attended also by family members of the victims.
News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net
