July victims’ families, survivors leave road after giving ultimatum

Families of those killed in July and survivors of the brutal crackdown last year have left the road after setting an ultimatum to realise their demand.

They left the road around 3:15 pm Tuesday. Earlier, around 12:30 pm, they blocked the road in front of Gate-2 of the secretariat. They demanded the resignation of law adviser professor Asif Nazrul.

While leaving the road, the protesters said that the law adviser must explain before the chief adviser as to why the accused of the July mass killing are being granted bail. The chief adviser must present the explanation before the nation.

They further said the police ‘attacked’ the protesters today. They demanded the home adviser to bring the police members involved in the attack to justice.

Announcing the next programme, martyr Tayem’s brother Rabiul Awal said their law adviser had called for discussions, but they had rejected the offer.

They have given time until next Sunday. Within this period, if the law adviser does not explain the matter of the accused being granted bail and if there is no visible justice over the police attack, they will resume their movement.

Rabiul Awal warned that if their demands were not met by next Sunday, they would also call for the resignation of the home affairs adviser along with the law adviser. Families of the July martyrs and the injured from across the country will join that programme. The protest will be held in front of Gate-2 of the secretariat.

At around 11:15am today, families of the July martyrs and the injured first staged a protest in front of the National Press Club.

Later, they marched to Gate-2 of the secretariat and took position there, blocking traffic on the road in front of the secretariat.

Families of the July martyrs and the injured said that the accused in the July massacre were securing bail in exchange for money. They demanded the immediate resignation of adviser Asif Nazrul and also called for the removal of the judges.

Before the sit-in programme, when the families of the martyrs and the injured attempted to march towards the secretariat, on-duty police personnel stopped them. At that time, scuffles broke out between the police and the protesters.

Safat Siddiqui, mother of martyr Ahnaf, alleged that police kicked and verbally abused the families of the July martyrs.

She said, “The police hurled insults at the families of the July martyrs. I cannot repeat those words. I was kicked by the police... We have gathered here with just demands. We will not leave without having them fulfilled.”

Regarding the allegations, Masud Alam, deputy commissioner of police (Ramna Division), said, “If such incidents occurred, we will take action based on proper investigation.”