A group of progressive citizens of Kolkata have staged a rally at College Square on Saturday afternoon, protesting the brutal killing of blogger Oyasiqur Rahman.
During the protest programme started at 3pm (Kolkata Time), the organisers called for building strong resistance against such killings in order to stop similar incidents.
Sandipan Dhar, one of the organisers told Dhaka tribune over phone that the protest was against the recent killings of the bloggers and free-thinkers, including Oyshiqur.
“We have staged the programme in protest against all kind of fundamentalist politics and its attack on the humanity.”
Dr Sabyasachi Chattopadhyay, the head of the department of history at Kalyani University, said: “Instead of staying in hibernate mode after every killing, we should keep in speaking against fundamentalists not only through social media but also in the open street.”
Blogger Giaysuddin said: “If the fundamentalists can spread their message regularly, we also have rights to express our logical and scientific thoughts openly. And none has the rights to stop us.”
Arindam Munshi, another organiser of the protest, said: “Our movement should not only stay through our pen but now it is high time to raise our voice in open streets as well as if required we should take up the sword on the other hand to uproot the fundamentalist group from the soil of this land.”
The organizers also conducted a signature campaign which would be submitted to the Deputy High Commissioner of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Human Rights Commission, West Bengal State Human Rights Commission and National Human Rights Commission of India, demanding immediate ban on all the fundamentalist groups in both the countries.
It also demanded to bring all the culprits under trial.
Dr Narendra Nayak, president of Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations; Professor Yash pal, former chancellor of Jawarhalal Nehru University; Professor Sultan Ismail, director of Eco-Science India; sent written notes, expressing their solidarity to the protest.