Attack on Amar Ekushey Book Fair bookstall: 205 citizens condemn, protest the incident
A total of 205 Bangladeshi citizens at home and abroad strongly condemned and protested the attack on the stall of the ‘Sabyasachi Publication’ in the Amar Ekushey Book Fair.
The international activists’ platform Networks for Democratic Bangladesh issued the protest in a statement sent by Azfar Hussain, a professor of Grand Valley State University, USA, to media on Monday.
The statement said these citizens strongly condemned the heinous attacks on the tall of Sabyasachi Publication and the physical and mental assaults on the publisher and writer Shatabdi Vaba at the Amar Ekushey Book Fair on Monday evening. Provocations were made on social media platforms against Sabyasachi Publication stall on allegation of publishing “atheism and Shatim (those who demean Prophet)” on Sunday evening. So, the Bangladesh Academy authorities and the interim government must take the responsibility for failing to arrange security to that stall. But these citizens expected that expression of all thoughts and opinions will be open and free at the book fair after the fall of the fascist regime. All writers, publishers will be able to publish, distribute and sell their books without a fear. These citizens are very concerned and angry on such attack on the freedom of expression. They also saw such attacks on the book fair happing repeatedly during the Awami League fascist rule.
The government has been gradually failing to provide public security, especially, to protect the freedom of religions and freedom of expressions of all people. As a result, the fallen fascist regime has been able to show that Bangladesh has fallen to the clutch of militancy and the interim government has failed extremely, thus, they have trying to get the support at home and aboard, the statement read.
The statement said, “Amid this situation, we urge people from walks of life in Bangladesh who participated in the July mass uprising and uphold the desire of uprising, to altogether resist the various plots and conspiracies and provocations of Awami League and various religious fascism at home and abroad.
Those who are instigating people from aboard are actually making the falling fascist forces more relevant through creating and politics of division in the country, as well as handing over various arms to the fascist forces, and creating dangers for the government, thus, they are playing role to weaken the mass uprising. As result, these citizens urged all to stay alert from any religious and communal provocations.
The signatories placed four demands. These are;
All of those who launched attacks on the book fair stall by declaring in front of police and media must be brought to book.
Security arrangements to book fair and publications must be beefed up to ensure unlimited freedom to publish books of all onions and views to prevent the any fascist attacks; no book stall must be closed even for a while in face of any demand and attacks.
Take stern action against people who are involved in attacks on shrines, orosh sharif and festival, women football team and various sculptures and Liberation War souvenirs. These citizens also want to see more effective measures from the government. These perpetrators must be brought to book and punished as per the laws if convicted and,
Improve law and order situation across the country and ensure public security.
The signatories include Azfar Hussain (teacher, Grand Valley State University), Zobaida Nasreen (teacher, Dhaka University), Helal Mohiuddin (teacher, Montclair State University), Fahmidul Haque (author and teacher), Qaisar Khan (researcher and columnist), Lubna Ferdowsi (teacher), Kashfia Nahrin (student), Khandaker Sumon (filmmaker), Saidur Rahman (journalist), Shahiduzzaman Paplu (political activist), Pritam Shuvo (cultural activist), Nasrin Khandaker (anthropologist), Badhan Adhikari (journalist), Luna Rushdi (author), Pavel Partha (author and researcher), Anik Debnath (development worker), Rayhan Rhyne (teacher) and Marzia Prabha (activist).