Demanding Death Penalty for War Criminals
Emotions run high at Ctg demo
A section of a mass demonstration on Chittagong Press Club premises in the port city yesterday, the fourth day of protests demanding capital punishment for all war criminals, including Abdul Quader Mollah. Inset, a young woman chants slogans to inspire the demonstrators. Photo: Anurup Kanti Das
Emotions ran high as “Ei uttal janasamudrer dhew, dhew shudhu uthbey uthbey†(This wave of the awakened masses, this wave will rise and continue to rise) reverberated around one part of Chittagong city yesterday. This renowned movement song composed by Salil Chowdhury was not in the voice of one but thousands of people, irrespective of age, gender and religious and political beliefs, who had come together. And the cetrepoint of this union for capital punishment against war criminals and ban on politics of Jamaat-Shibir was Jamal Khan area, before Chittagong Press Club. For the fourth day, people with national flags in hand and green and red bands wrapped around heads arrived, as if a fresh Liberation War had begun in a new Bangladesh, in a new city. The protestors range from kids to octogenarians, mostly youths. Many came with family members. Like in the capital's Shahbagh, women were playing a vital role here. Mothers held babies and chanted “We accept nothing except capital punishment for war criminals.†Some were leading from the front chanting nonstop slogans to impose ban on communal politics. One of them, Monika, inspired fellow protestors with a loudspeaker. “We will not go back until our demands are realised,†vowed Ratan Mitra, another youth. Another young girl, Disha, sang different movement songs, including “Bicharpati tomar bichar korbe jara, aj jegeche ei janataâ€, “Janatar sangram cholche cholbeâ€, and “Karar oi louhokopatâ€. There were also recitations of poems inspiring people to build the country with the spirit of the Liberation War. Artists of Udichi Shilpi Goshthi, Charan Sangskritik Kendra, Prama Abritti Sangathan and Bodhan Abritti Sangsad performed songs and recitations during the whole duration of the protest. Leaders and activists of different social and cultural organisations continued to arrive to express solidarity with the demand. At one stage, an announcement was made from a loudspeaker that the government decided to bring further amendment to the International Crimes (Tribunal) Act 1973 so that the prosecution could appeal against verdicts in the Appellate Division. The crowd burst into joy, stating that it was a victory of their demonstration. “It is a primary victory of our movement,†said Shahidul Alam, a youth in the movement. “Now we will have to go for our ultimate demand and that is capital punishment for the war criminals,†he said. Meanwhile, hundreds of people under the banners of Progotishil Chhatra Jote, and Bloggers and Online Activist Network brought out a procession from in front of Chittagong Press Club around 9:00am. The protesters also torched several copies of Bangla daily Amar Desh, claiming that the newspaper did not uphold the real picture of the movement. Meanwhile students and teachers of Chittagong University, under a banner of “Shamprodayikota Birodhi Chhatra-Shikhkhak Oikya Parishad,†organised a sit-in before Shaheed Minar on the campus. A cultural programme featuring songs and recitations was organised. Afterwards the protestors lit candles and brought out a procession, parading the campus. They also set ablaze copies of Amar Desh and another newspaper, Naya Diganta, and declared those unwelcome in the campus.
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