Ganajagaran Mancha on Wednesday strongly criticised the Islamist group Hefazat-e-Islam who have termed the Savar tragedy a “curse of Allah against men and women working together”.
The Mancha spokesman Imran H Sarkar said, “We condemn these people who have called this tragedy of the working people a curse from Allah. These people are devils in human guise.”
He was addressing a citizens’ rally at Shahbagh to mourn the Savar building collapse on April 24, which left almost 400 people dead.
He also demanded exemplary punishment for the Rana Plaza building’s owners.
The Mancha pledged to stand behind the victims of the tragedy and urged the government to rehabilitate the workers and to bear the medical expenses of the wounded.
“The government has to bring the perpetrators of the Savar tragedy under trial and ensure proper medical treatment and rehabilitation of the victims,” said Imran.
Jahangirnagar University Vice Chancellor Anwar Hossain thanked the ordinary people who had tried their best to rescue the workers who were trapped under the debris.
“The people set an example for humanity by rescuing the workers,” he said.
Writer Syed Shamsul Haq demanded the arrest of Hefazat activists. “Hefazat men have been dividing general people in name of Islam, like Jamaat-e-Islami in 1971,” he said.
Shahriar Kabir, MM Akash and Khushi Kabir, among others, also addressed the rally.
