Protesters at a human chain yesterday demanded exemplary punishment for JaPa Chairman HM Ershad as the prime accused in the Manzoor murder case.
The human chain, organized under the banner of Shaheed Asad Parishad, was held in front of the National Press Club in the capital.
“It is not right to keep this issue suspended for the last 33 years. I urge the premier as the daughter of Bangabandhu (Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) not to compromise with the killers of Manzoor,” Shamsuzzaman Milon, general secretary of Saheed Asad Parishad, told the Dhaka Tribune.
Similarly, Bangladesh Samajtantrik Andolon Convenor Hamidul Haq said: “How come the prime accused in the Manzoor murder case can be the Prime Minister’s special envoy? Prime Minister has done an offence morally through by appointing him in the capacity.”
Major General Abul Manzoor was killed while being transferred from police custody to Chittagong Cantonment on June 1, 1981, just two days after the assassination of BNP founder and military strongman Ziaur Rahman.
On February 28, 1995, the victim’s brother Abul Mansur Ahmed filed a murder case in this connection with Panchlaish police in Chittagong. The charge sheet of the case was submitted the same year.
On January 22 this year, a Dhaka court set February 10 for delivering the verdict of the case.