Five students’ organisations have slammed Gonojagoron Moncho spokesperson Imran H Sarker for his “undemocratic and authoritative” attitude in managing the famed Shahbagh movement.
In a press conference at the Madhur Canteen on the Dhaka University campus yesterday, the leaders of these organisations asked Imran to realise his “mistakes” as soon as possible, warning him that otherwise they would have to take steps against him.
They, however, did not specify whether taking steps meant dislodging Imran from the post of the Moncho spokesperson.
The warning comes only two days after Imran had hinted that the platform might float a political party if the people of the country wanted it to.
Two days before that, ruling Awami League’s student body Chhatra League in a press conference at the same venue said it was no more with the Moncho. In recent times, the Moncho activists have openly got into scuffles with Chhatra League activists centring various issues.
The five student bodies who organised yesterday’s press conference were Bangladesh Chhatra Moitree, JSD Chhatra League, Chhatra Andolon, Chhatra Oikya Forum and the Chhatra Samiti.
All these groups and the ruling party’s student wing had been closely associated with the activities of the Gonojagoron Moncho since it was launched in February last year to press home the demand for ensuring capital punishment for war criminal Abdul Quader Molla.
Of these groups, Moitree and JSD Chhatra League are the student fronts of Bangladesh Workers’ Party and Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal respectively – both allies to the ruling Awami League.
Bappaditya Basu, president of Bangladesh Chhatra Moitree and one of the organisers of the Moncho, read out a written statement that said: “We [205 organisations] selected Dr Imran H Sarker as the convener of the Gonojagoron Moncho because he was not actively involved with any particular political organisation or any student body at that time. A few days later, when the movement was in full swing, Imran’s attitude began to change and he became autocratic. He began to ignore the others’ opinions inside the Gonojagoron Moncho and took vital decisions on his own. We tried to solve the problem internally, but failed.”
Regarding Imran’s hints about forming a political party, Bappa said: “We will never sacrifice the countrymen’s sentiment for any individual’s wishes. Rather we will take stern actions [against anyone who will do so] and do everything needed for protecting the prestige of the Gonojagoron Moncho. We will sit with all Moncho activists from around the country and the pro-Liberation War cultural, social and political organisations [for making a decision].”
He blamed Imran for being too lenient towards Chhatra League which gave the ruling party’s student front the courage to assault Moncho activists.
He also claimed that Abir and Shishir – blamed for attacking Moncho activists – had never been associated with the Chhatra League and Jubo League; rather they were activists of the Moncho.
In immediate reaction to the press conference, Imran said: “I never decided anything for the Moncho on my own. People will always have different views, but it is not always possible to accept them. But that does not mean that we were autocratic.”
Terming the recent turmoil within the Moncho unexpected, he said: “We have already planned to form a new committee comprising representatives from all the organisations so that we can make future decisions calmly.”
He also said: “I do not consider this a warning from the Gonojagoron Moncho. I was not selected [as the spokesperson] by those five organisations. There are hundreds more. But I accept the allegations as a view from my allies and hope to work jointly in future.”
