Four organisations yesterday protested the remarks of Law Minister Anisul Haq on Brac University professor Piash Karim.
They also burned his effigy in front of the National Press Club for his positive remarks on Piash. Piash Karim died of a heart attack on October 13.
The four organisations – National Democratic League, Kazi Aref Foundation, Bangladesh Online Activists Forum and Bangladesh Krishak Sramik Party – staged the demonstration in front of capital’s National Press Club yesterday. The protesters called the law minister a new “rajakar” (war criminal) and asked him to seek apology.
They warned that they would go for vigorous movement if he does not seek apology.
On October 19 Law minister Anisul Haq said the allegation brought against Piash Karim’s father MA Karim that he was a collaborator during the 1971 Liberation War was “absolutely false”.
Terming his involvement in the killing of Dhirendranath Datta “mere propaganda” the minister on that day also ruled out the accusation that Piash’s family members upheld anti-liberation values.
Earlier he told the Dhaka Tribune that “Just two months before the victory, the Pakistani Army picked up Piash Karim from in front of their Comilla house and kept him in the Circuit House.
Later, his father MA Karim was forced to join the peace committee when he went to the Circuit House for his son’s release.
“But after leaving that place, he never served as the peace committee member, rather continued distributing ID cards among the freedom fighters.”
President of Kaji Aref Foundation said: “The minister should withdraw his comments and also seek apology for his comments.”