Bangladesh: Sleepless at Shahbagh, ears to tribunal

http://www.thedailystar.net

Protesters at Shahbagh have vowed not to fall asleep till the verdict in the war crimes case against Sayedee is delivered today. As hours ticked away last night, people from all walks of life took position at the intersection in solidarity, with the number growing as the night wore on. “Shahbagh is wide awake; Projonmo Chattar is wide awake. And we will remain awake,” declared Imran H Sarker, convener of Blogger and Online Activist Network that began the protest on February 5 demanding capital punishment to all war criminals. “Our demonstration will continue till the verdict is given. After the verdict of death sentence, we will celebrate and return home with joy,” Imran told a grand rally at Shapla Chattar in the capital's Motijheel as the Shahbagh movement passed its 23rd day yesterday. Meanwhile, on the eve of the long-awaited verdict in Jamaat leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee's case, protesters reoccupied the intersection to press home their demand. Spirited protesters chanted anti-Razakar slogans, demanding that Sayedee is handed down a death sentence. It was the verdict of a life sentence given to Jamaat leader Quader Mollah that brought the youths to the streets. They demand nothing but the death sentence to war criminals for their atrocious crimes against humanity in 1971. As the country awaits another verdict today, all eyes are towards Shahbagh and the court. “We want to tell the tribunal that since we began our movement on February 5, we did not exert any undue pressure on you. We have only asked that you continue your work in your own way, impartially,” Imran told the Motijheel rally. He urged the tribunal members not to be afraid of the anarchy and violence by Jamaat-Shibir. “We strongly believe that nothing but a death sentence is punishment enough for the crimes committed in 1971,” said Imran, “Please respect people's demand.” He also called upon people to resist today's hartal and continue their routine activities as they had done on the three previous shutdowns called by Jamaat and its allies. Protesters will bring out an anti-hartal procession from Shahbagh at 10:00am today. On February 21, the organisers wrapped up the nonstop protests and announced a series of countrywide programmes, including grand rallies at different points in and outside Dhaka. They also declared that protesters would return to the intersection 24 hours before a war crimes verdict. Ever since the protest began, the otherwise busy Shahbagh throbbed with the spirit of resistance amid swelling public anger at the impunity the war criminals and Jamaat-Shibir enjoyed over the last 42 years. Yesterday, people started to flock to the protest venue, Motijheel, long before the rally began at 3:00pm. Motijheel being a commercial area, many were seen to join the protest in office dress. Hundreds of service holders left their offices to take to the streets and then cheered to the demands of the protesters. Many shops, financial institutions and businesses shut themselves down at their peak hours in a rare gesture of solidarity. “The shops and businesses were all closed in 1971. Why can't we close our businesses for a few hours today to show our support for the movement of the youths?” said a businessman. Responding to BNP leader Fakhrul Islam Alamgir's comment that the youths should be more loving, Imran said: “We have plenty of love. The youth of today has no shortage of love. But this love is for the people of this country, for the freedom fighters, for the martyrs of the Liberation War. “There is no question of having love for the war criminals. We have nothing but hate for them. We condemn such comments.” He also castigated the political leaders who still had friendly relations with some war criminals. Criticising a remark by BNP lawmaker Nilufar Chowdhury Moni on TV that not 30 lakh people were killed during the war, Imran said, “She [Nilufar] has distorted the history of our Liberation War. I want to request the government to make a law that would cancel the parliament membership of an MP who attempts to distort the history of the Liberation War.” He also urged people to boycott all institutions of Jamaat-Shibir and called upon the owners of media outlets to reject advertisements of those companies. Local MP Rashed Khan Menon, different political and cultural activists, among others, joined the rally. After the rally ended around 6:00pm, protesters brought out a procession and marched towards Shahbagh to reoccupy the Projonmo Chattar. Several hundred protesters were chanting fiery slogans demanding death penalty to Sayedee and other war criminals early hours today.