Gonojagoron Mancha
Women rally defies threat
Rab man hurt in cocktail blasts near podium; protesters declare fresh programmes
The Shahbagh movement holds a rally to mark the International Womens Day yesterday but several homemade bombs went off. Photo: Anisur Rahman
Even after two cocktails were exploded near Gonojagoron Mancha at Shahbagh during Nari Jagoron Samabesh yesterday afternoon, the protesters firmly announced that nothing can stop their fight against war criminals and Jamaat-Shibir.
The blasts injured Jalal Uddin, deputy assistant director of Rapid Action Battalion-3. He was rushed to the emergency unit of Birdem hospital with wounds in the face and hands.
It was around 4:55pm when unknown miscreants blasted the cocktails near National Museum and opposite to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. Only 100 yards away, the womens rally was going on in full swing.
Panicked gripped people at the venue as the handmade bombs went off with huge bangs. But within a minute, a number of activists carrying bamboo sticks ran to the spot and the organisers burst into slogan Joy Bangla to allay fears of all.
The Shahbagh intersection, popularly known as Projonmo Chattar, again reverberated with anti-******* slogans of thousands of women and men as the number of protesters rose after the blasts.
The Shahbagh movement holds a rally to mark the International Womens Day yesterday but several homemade bombs went off near the rally. A Rab member was slightly wounded in the attack. Photo: Anisur Rahman
Visiting the spot, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Benazir Ahmed said its definitely an act of sabotage.
Neither police nor Rab could ascertain who and from where the cocktails were thrown. Some suggested the cocktails might have been hurled from the fourth floor of BSMMU.
Abdul Kuddus, a Rab-3 official who was standing by Jalal Uddin guarding the venue, told The Daily Star on the spot, Six of our officers were deployed here and showing the people the entrance to the venue.
We heard a huge bang and, before we could realise anything, another cocktail blasted and we saw blood rolling down Jalal sirs face.
Detective Branch picked up four suspects at the BSMMU.
Enraged, the protesters divided in several groups brought out processions and paraded through the Shahbagh intersection. The speakers continued delivering speeches.
Its not any unexpected incident. Those who were against non-communal and democratic Bangladesh will continue their attempts to attack us. But we will resist them as in 1971, said rights activist Sultana Kamal.
Participants in the rally arming themselves with sticks, look for the persons who hurled the bombs reportedly from a BSMMU building. The rally participants did not resort to violence and the police picked up four suspects. Photo: Anisur Rahman
Expressing her gratitude to the sisters and children of new generation for their participation in the youths movement, she also paid tribute to the women who took part in the Liberation War.
Quite before the start of the rally, women in large numbers flocked to Shahbagh to honour the women who were tortured and repressed during the 1971 Liberation War. Women from all walks of life from housewives to students to workers to cultural activists swarmed the rally marching in processions with banners, festoons and national flags.
The rally formally began at 4:30pm with the rendering of national anthem.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury and Everest conqueror Wasfia Nazreen, among others, expressed solidarity with the protesters.
All the women who spoke on the occasion called for immediate action to build a society without gender discrimination.
Ferdousy Priyabhashini, a victim of the 1971 war crimes, said, This generation has made us braver. We are more hopeful than ever. Now we are witnessing a bloodless revenge of what the Razakars and Al-Badres did in 1971.
Several thousand protesters took an oath to continue their movement until their six-point demand, including capital punishment for war criminals and a ban on Jamaat-Shibir, is met.
Imran H Sarker, spokesperson for Gonojagoron Mancha, administered the oath.
He said justice will be done for the violence against women in 1971 only when war criminals get due punishment and the politics of Jamaat-Shibir is banned from the country.
Imran also announced a series of programmes including protest rallies, mass gatherings and solidarity rallies across the country. He urged all to join the mass gathering to be held at Uttara on March 10, Chittagong University on March 13 and Ashulia on March 15.
The organisers of the movement, which began on February 5, hours after notorious war criminal Quader Mollah was sentenced to mere life imprisonment, called upon all educational institutions to hold solidarity rally at 11:00am on March 16 protesting the Jamaat-Shibir mayhem on the minority community across the country.
Women rally defies threat | The Daily Star
Women rally defies threat
Rab man hurt in cocktail blasts near podium; protesters declare fresh programmes
The Shahbagh movement holds a rally to mark the International Womens Day yesterday but several homemade bombs went off. Photo: Anisur Rahman
Even after two cocktails were exploded near Gonojagoron Mancha at Shahbagh during Nari Jagoron Samabesh yesterday afternoon, the protesters firmly announced that nothing can stop their fight against war criminals and Jamaat-Shibir.
The blasts injured Jalal Uddin, deputy assistant director of Rapid Action Battalion-3. He was rushed to the emergency unit of Birdem hospital with wounds in the face and hands.
It was around 4:55pm when unknown miscreants blasted the cocktails near National Museum and opposite to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. Only 100 yards away, the womens rally was going on in full swing.
Panicked gripped people at the venue as the handmade bombs went off with huge bangs. But within a minute, a number of activists carrying bamboo sticks ran to the spot and the organisers burst into slogan Joy Bangla to allay fears of all.
The Shahbagh intersection, popularly known as Projonmo Chattar, again reverberated with anti-******* slogans of thousands of women and men as the number of protesters rose after the blasts.
The Shahbagh movement holds a rally to mark the International Womens Day yesterday but several homemade bombs went off near the rally. A Rab member was slightly wounded in the attack. Photo: Anisur Rahman
Visiting the spot, Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Benazir Ahmed said its definitely an act of sabotage.
Neither police nor Rab could ascertain who and from where the cocktails were thrown. Some suggested the cocktails might have been hurled from the fourth floor of BSMMU.
Abdul Kuddus, a Rab-3 official who was standing by Jalal Uddin guarding the venue, told The Daily Star on the spot, Six of our officers were deployed here and showing the people the entrance to the venue.
We heard a huge bang and, before we could realise anything, another cocktail blasted and we saw blood rolling down Jalal sirs face.
Detective Branch picked up four suspects at the BSMMU.
Enraged, the protesters divided in several groups brought out processions and paraded through the Shahbagh intersection. The speakers continued delivering speeches.
Its not any unexpected incident. Those who were against non-communal and democratic Bangladesh will continue their attempts to attack us. But we will resist them as in 1971, said rights activist Sultana Kamal.
Participants in the rally arming themselves with sticks, look for the persons who hurled the bombs reportedly from a BSMMU building. The rally participants did not resort to violence and the police picked up four suspects. Photo: Anisur Rahman
Expressing her gratitude to the sisters and children of new generation for their participation in the youths movement, she also paid tribute to the women who took part in the Liberation War.
Quite before the start of the rally, women in large numbers flocked to Shahbagh to honour the women who were tortured and repressed during the 1971 Liberation War. Women from all walks of life from housewives to students to workers to cultural activists swarmed the rally marching in processions with banners, festoons and national flags.
The rally formally began at 4:30pm with the rendering of national anthem.
Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, State Minister for Women and Children Affairs Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury and Everest conqueror Wasfia Nazreen, among others, expressed solidarity with the protesters.
All the women who spoke on the occasion called for immediate action to build a society without gender discrimination.
Ferdousy Priyabhashini, a victim of the 1971 war crimes, said, This generation has made us braver. We are more hopeful than ever. Now we are witnessing a bloodless revenge of what the Razakars and Al-Badres did in 1971.
Several thousand protesters took an oath to continue their movement until their six-point demand, including capital punishment for war criminals and a ban on Jamaat-Shibir, is met.
Imran H Sarker, spokesperson for Gonojagoron Mancha, administered the oath.
He said justice will be done for the violence against women in 1971 only when war criminals get due punishment and the politics of Jamaat-Shibir is banned from the country.
Imran also announced a series of programmes including protest rallies, mass gatherings and solidarity rallies across the country. He urged all to join the mass gathering to be held at Uttara on March 10, Chittagong University on March 13 and Ashulia on March 15.
The organisers of the movement, which began on February 5, hours after notorious war criminal Quader Mollah was sentenced to mere life imprisonment, called upon all educational institutions to hold solidarity rally at 11:00am on March 16 protesting the Jamaat-Shibir mayhem on the minority community across the country.
Women rally defies threat | The Daily Star