‘Jamaat aims to kill democracy’
The ruling MPs on Sunday told Parliament the anti-independence Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir have set off nationwide bloodletting to destroy democracy.
They called upon all pro-independence forces to unite to prevent this conspiracy.
Around 50 have been killed in the violence touched off by the sentencing of leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee to death for his wartime brutality to prevent the birth of Bangladesh in 1971.
Their call came as the violence continued for the fourth straight day on Sunday, the first day of the three days of strike called by Jamaat and its key ally BNP. They mayhem is targeted mainly at the law enforcers, pro-Awami League activists and the Hindus.
The MPs came down hard on the opposition leader Khaleda Zia for siding with Jamaat, which has let loose a reign of terror to force the government to release the party’s leaders standing trial or convicted over war crimes.
“Jamaat and Shibir carried out anarchy in a planned way despite there is scope to appeal against the Sayedee verdict,” said Rashed Khan Menon, initiating a discussion.
“The attack is to foil the trial of the war criminals. We had experienced similar incident in 1971,” said Menon, President of the Workers Party.
Awami League’s Presidium Member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim said the BNP chief was making every move possible for disrupting democracy.
“She is inflaming the situation to upset the communal harmony.”
“The BNP and Jamaat both are talking about civil war so that we retaliate. We are being provoked, but we won’t act under (provocation).”
Menon thinks the use of the word ‘genocide’ to define the recent violence is an attempt by the BNP Chairperson to protect those who were involved in genocide in 1971 war.
He castigated the former Prime Minister for not talking about the incidents in which the Shaheed Minar were vandalised and national flags burned.
“She does not know what genocide stands for as she never saw it,” said another Awami League Presidium Member Tofail Ahmed.
Sheikh Selim claimed the written statement Khaleda read out was actually a press release from Inter-Services Intelligence, the military intelligence agency of Pakistan.
Awami League’s MP Abdul Mannan reported attacks on his residence in Bogra during Sunday’s violence.
“Awami League can avenge this if it wishes. But Awami League does not believe in taking revenge.”
He said only a united pro-independence force may resist the violence of Jamaat and Shibir.
“All pro-independence forces must win this war. They must take to the streets,” said Menon.
Awami League’s Advisory Council member Suranjit Sengupta questioned why the administration was not there when minority communities were attacked. “They are passing days in terror.”
He demanded that Jamaat be banned.
“A secular government is now in power. Jamaat does not have the Constitutional right to do politics as a political party. They can be banned by an executive order. We should not wait for the court to order this.”
Menon urged the people to react and said it was the right moment to decide that Jamaat and Shibir be resisted.
“I hope, the matter will be discussed thoroughly and the government will clear its position on the matter.”
SAYEDEE ON THE MOON
The alliance MPs said Jamaat and Shibir misled people by spreading the propaganda that ‘a portrait of Sayedee can be seen on the moon”.
“They are misleading unsuspecting believers by running a propaganda campaign. They are spreading religious propaganda by putting women and children on the front lines.”
According to Bogra MP Mannan, Jamaat supporters, after the Fajr prayers, launched the attack on the police station by drawing a crowd by spreading the propaganda that the Moon was reflecting a picture of Sayedee.
Nine were killed as the violence raged on.
http://bdnews24.com/bangladesh/2013/03/03/jamaat-aims-to-kill-democracy