Condemning Pakistan’s Parliament’s resolution on hanging of Quader Molla, the activists of Ganajagaran Mancha demanded on Wednesday that the diplomatic relations with Islamabad should be broken off temporarily within 20 hours.
The demand came from a sit-in demonstration staged by the activists of Ganajagaran Mancha in the city’s Gulshan 2 area on Wednesday afternoon.
While addressing the demonstration, Mancha spokesperson Dr Emran H Sarker placed the demand.
He said: “The government has to break off the diplomatic relationship with Pakistan temporarily within 20 hours and the police officials, who charged batons on our people, should be brought under punishment.”
Over 500 people along with the family members of Liberation War martyrs and the wartime oppressed women staged the demonstration after they failed to siege the Pakistani High Commission.
The law enforcers have stopped the protest procession of Ganajagaran Mancha in front of the Australian High Commission on road 83 in Gulshan 2 area, six minutes walking distance from the Pakistan High Commission.
The procession started marching towards the Pakistan High Commission defying police around 3:20pm. But, it faced police barricade at three points and managed to enter the diplomatic zone around 3:40pm amid some scuffle.
At one stage, police managed to stop the march and compelled the activists to stage a sit-in demonstration in front of the Australian High Commission.
Mancha activist Lucky informed that the scuffle left at least eight activists injured. They were taken to a nearby hospital.
Earlier on Tuesday, a press release signed by Ganajagaran Mancha spokesperson Emran H Sarker announced the programme, hours after the Bangladesh government condemned the resolution and asked for its withdrawal and an apology for 1971.
Earlier in the day, the foreign ministry summoned the Pakistan High commissioner Mir Afrasiab Koreshi and handed over an Aide Memoire to him condemning the resolution.
Foreign Ministry Secretary Mostafa Kamal (Bilateral and Training) handed over the Aide Memoire to the Pakistani high commissioner.
Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu condemned the resolution and asked for its withdrawal and an apology for 1971.
On Monday, the Pakistan National Assembly adopted a resolution expressing concern over Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Molla, who was executed for his crimes against humanity during the Liberation War of Bangladesh in 1971.
“This House expresses deep concern on the hanging of a veteran politician of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh for supporting Pakistan in 1971,” said the resolution passed by majority vote.
The House expressed grief and sorrow with the bereaved family and demanded to avoid reviving the wounds of 1971 and to resolve cases amicably against Bangladeshi leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami.
