Secretariat fire a planned conspiracy: Sarjis Alam

Sarjis Alam talks to the media following an exchange of views with the coordinators of students against discrimination at Panchagarh government auditorium on 26 December 2024.Screengrab from a video

Jatiya Nagorik Committee chief organiser Sarjis Alam has commented that the fire incident at the secretariat is a “planned conspiracy”.

Also general secretary of July Shaheed Smrity Foundation, Sarjis Alam said, “The way the fire started at the secretariat and the nature or location of the fire indicate that in no way it can be a natural or accidental fire.”

Sarjis Alam said this in response to the journalists’ questions following an exchange of views with the coordinators of students against discrimination movement at Panchagarh government auditorium on Thursday afternoon.

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Sarjis Alam added, “The offices of those representing the students in the government, Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud, have been completely burnt. Files of crimes, misdeeds and corruption committed by Hasina’s agents at different times were kept there.”

“The secretariat was set on fire in a planned way just when they were investigating and preserving those files for trials,” he continued.

Addressing the government, Sarjis Alam said, “Actually we have not yet been able to play the revolutionary role we should have assumed, the revolutionary role this interim government should have assumed after such a massive uprising. Actually, we tried to become a better person, we tried to become civilised and tried to give them chances.”

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“But no matter how many chances you give to those, who are sycophants and slaves, have been involved in wrongdoings for so many years, there’s just no use,” he stated.

Speaking about donning the role of a revolutionary, he expressed, “We think it’s time for those representing us in the interim government and those of us who are still on the streets need to take up the revolutionary role by holding on to the spirit of this revolution.”

Sarjis Alam further said, “If anyone is involved even in the slightest of crimes, irregularities, wrongdoings, corruption, bribery and so on anywhere, be it at the secretariat, the bureaucracy or any other government office in Bangladesh, they have to be thrown out of their chairs. They cannot be given any more chances.”

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“How can those who chanted slogans in Hasina’s favour during 3, 4 and 5 August, still attend office at the secretariat? If this uprising had not been successful, those agents of Sheikh Hasina would have fully cooperated to put all of us, who participated in the movement, in jail,” he continued.

Demanding a proper investigation of the incident at the secretariat, Sarjis Alam said that there has to be a completely fair investigation of this incident. Those who would be found responsible in the investigation have to be brought to trial.

The interim government and those of us active on the streets have to put in their maximum efforts to ensure that such incidents do not repeat, he added.