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This is how they were attacked when the long march against rape and oppression reached Feni. Photo: Kaler Kantho
Leaders and activists participating in the long march against rape towards Noakhali have been attacked. At least 20 people, including Anik Roy, general secretary of the student union central committee, were injured in two separate attacks in Feni and Daganbhuiyan on Saturday afternoon. Participants in the long march claimed that the attack was carried out by local activists from the BCL and the Juba League. However, the BCL and the Juba League denied the allegations in a press conference. Hundreds of leaders and activists of the left-wing student organization started the long march from the capital Dhaka on Friday morning demanding 9 points under the slogan “Bangladesh against rape and injustice.”
Meanwhile, speakers at the closing assembly of the long march in Maijdi, Noakhali, called for a nationwide protest rally on Monday and a road blockade on Wednesday. The leaders also demanded the resignation of the minister of the Interior from the rally.
Central leaders who participated in the long march said they gathered in front of the city’s central Shaheed Minar around 12:15 pm and marched to the waiting bus on Pagla Mia Road in front of the deputy commissioner’s office. At that time, some youths from the Khajuria area attacked them with sticks. Ten leaders and activists were injured. Among those injured are the secretary of the student union Anik, the deputy general secretary of the central committee of the youth union Ashiqul Islam Jewel, the leader of the student union Asha, the activist Vijay, Shahadat, Jawad, Hridoy, Shaon and Avi. They claimed that the attackers were activists from the Chhatra League and the Juba League. Later, around 12:30 pm, when local workers gathered to welcome the long march in Daganbhuiyan, there was another attack. Several people were also injured there.
Earlier, a clash with police took place at Doel Chattar on Trunk Road at 11 am. Tension erupted when the police beat three workers. Subsequently, the police walked away in the face of resistance from the workers.
Witnesses said a rape demonstration was taking place at the Shaheed Minar facility at the time. Outside, there was a large festoon with photos of Feni-2 MP Nizam Uddin Hazari at Doel Chattar on Trunk Road. During the demonstration, someone wrote the word “rapist guard” in red on the festoon. At that moment, the police on duty at Zero Point argued with some of the workers present there and beat three of them. When the tension and commotion started outside, some activists came out of the Shaheed Minar facility and protested. Later, in the face of protests, the police moved away and took a position in front of ‘Bonaful’ further west. In the end, the leaders arrived and took the workers to the Shaheed Minar facility.
Jahangir Alam Nannu, deputy general secretary of the youth union central committee, said: “The police and the Chhatra League-Juba League attacked our workers for no reason and injured them.”
Feni BCL Press Conference: At a press conference in a city restaurant in the afternoon, the district’s BCL leaders stated: ‘None of our workers were involved in the attack on the long march. We also agree with your demands. A mahal wants to disturb Feni’s peace. They protested by writing negative comments about the festoon. BCL District President M Salahuddin Firoz and General Secretary Jabed Haider George addressed the press conference. Meanwhile, in a statement, the district president of the Juba League, Didarul Kabir Ratan, said that no leader or activist of the Juba League could be involved in the attack. Shusen Shil, secretary general of the Sadar Upazila Juba League, said the prime minister has taken the initiative to enact a law with the death penalty as the maximum punishment for rape. In this way, some people’s heads are not right. They are trying to hide the situation.
Feni Additional Police Superintendent Mainul Islam said: “This is not a big deal. An unpleasant incident took place between MP supporters and long protesters on Trunk Road after he wrote an offensive comment in red on a festoon with a photo of the MP.
Chittagong Range DIG at the scene: Meanwhile, Chittagong Range DIG located in Noakhali. Anwar Hossain rushed to Feni after learning of the attack on the long march yesterday. At that time, the DIG said, the tense atmosphere had been created due to the offensive writing on the image of the Member of Parliament. If someone complains about this to the police station, legal action will be taken. He urged everyone to respect law and order and not engage in provocative activities.
Concluding the Long March rally in Maijdi, Noakhali: Speakers at the closing rally of the long march demanding 9 points against ongoing rape and impunity in the hills and plains said: ‘We want justice for those who are caring for the rapists. We want the failed Interior Minister to resign. The Chhatra League has attacked our long peaceful march. How many more will you kill us? The youth of this country will fight. Our movement will continue. The leaders of the rally at the Shaheed Minar Chattar en Maijdi center in Noakhali yesterday afternoon called for a nationwide protest rally tomorrow and a national road blockade on Wednesday.
The march was chaired by Mollah Habibur Rasul Mamun, coordinator of Noakhali and president of Udichi Shilpi Gosthi, and led by Palash, general secretary of the Charan Cultural Center. , Liberation of Bangladesh Women Seema Dutt, Jamshed Anwar Tapan, Habib Emon, Nikhil Das, Lakshmi Chakraborty and others. In the evening, the organizers drew the veil of the long march through the cultural spectacle.
Protests in the capital against the attack: The leaders of the organization ‘Bangladesh against rape and injustice’ have warned that the movement against rape cannot be repressed with an attack. The warning was given by speakers at a protest rally in front of the National Press Club in Feni in protest of the attack on the long march program. At that time, they demanded the Prime Minister to pull the reins of the Chhatra League and the Juba League. Speakers said the long march was not organized because of the fall of the government or because of any political issue. This long march is organized to raise awareness in the general public against the increase in violations and impunity in the country. Despite this, the ruling party has politicized the movement by attacking the convoy of the long march program in Feni and killing the peaceful protesters.
Sangeeta Imam, Udichi Shilpigosthi Deputy Secretary General, chaired the rally.
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