Gonojagoron Moncho has asked the government to form a high-level probe committee over the assault of its activists on April 3 at Shahbagh by the pro-government cadres.
Imran H Sarkar, spokesperson of the platform, said: “We are surprised by the attacking attitude of both the police and the pro-government cadres.
“The government and its cadres have been oppressing us as the Moncho protested taking money from Islami Bank in ‘Lakho Konthe Sonar Bangla’ programme and for criticising delay in the trial of war criminals.”
At a press briefing in front of the National Museum, he said: “For protesting this, the intruders of Jamaat-Shibir in the government count Gonojagoron Moncho as a bar since they want to make a secret pact with the anti-liberation force.
“These intruders are hatching conspiracy to uproot the platform.”
On the incident of the attack on leaders and activists of the Moncho, Imran said: “The injured activists of the Moncho mentioned few names in the case they filed. It is the responsibility of the government to ensure punishment of the real accused through neutral investigation.”
He, however, said the investigator of the case would not conduct the probe. “It is very easy to realise as the group attacked us inside the police station when the law enforcers did not take any action against them.”
The Moncho which normally arranges press conference in front of their Media Cell at Shahbagh intersection could not arrange yesterday’s briefing there as two organisations, backed by ruling Awami League’s student body Bangladesh Chhatra League, Muktijoddhar Shontan Command and Muktijoddha Projonmo, occupied that place by setting up a makeshift stall.
They arranged a views-exchange programme yesterday.
The Moncho activists were also barred from holding its views-exchange meeting on the Public Library premises. They were set to hold the meeting before the press briefing. But at 3:30pm, when they wanted to enter the premises, the library authorities shut down the main gate.
Later they arranged the meeting at Suhrawardy Udyan.
Lucky Akhter, general secretary of Bangladesh Students’ Union, Jonardon Dutta Nantu, president of Chhatra Front, Baki Billah, former president of BSU, and blogger Arif Jebtik attended the press briefing.
But the leaders of JSD Chhatra League, Chhatra Moitree and Chhatra Andolan, whose mother organisations are all allied with the ruling Awami League, did not attend the Moncho’s programmes.
From the press briefing, Gonojagoron Moncho announced special programmes for Pahela Baishakh on April 14. At 9am, the platform’s activists will meet the inhabitants of Alubdi village in Mirpur where executed war criminal Abdul Quader Molla had led atrocities during the 1971 Liberation War.
The platform would arrange a cultural programme at Shahbagh at 3pm and candlelight vigil at 7pm.
On April 18, the activists would hold protest processions and rallies across the country to press home their six-point demands. The Dhaka rally will begin at Shahbagh at 3pm, Imran said.
Meanwhile, some activists under the banner of “Activists and Organisers of Gonojagoron Moncho” – allegedly backed by the Chhatra League – will hold a press conference at Shahbagh today to declare counter programmes.