Quota protesters call demo at 12pm, BCL calls sit-in at 3pm
The students protesting over their demand of quota reform in government jobs have called a demonstration on Dhaka University campus at 12:00pm. noon.
The students staged a demonstration on the campus for around two hours last night claiming that the protesters have been demeaned. They announced the protest in the wake of this situation.
On the other hand, Bangladesh Chhatra League called a sit-in on the campus at 3:00pm claiming that the protesters have insulted the spirit of liberation war.
As per the announcements, both programmes will take place at Raju Sculpture area on DU campus.
The protesters of the ongoing quota reform movement started holding demonstrations at 10:00pm last night and later stormed out of their residential halls. The protesters allege that a comment made at prime minister Sheikh Hasina's press conference on Sunday demeaned the protesters.
The prime minister at a press conference on her recent China visit replied to a question about the ongoing quota reform movement. She told the press briefing that why is there so much anger against the liberation war and freedom fighters? Will not the grandchildren of the freedom fighters get (quotas)? So will Razakar's (collaborators of the Pakistan army in 1971) grandchildren get jobs?
When the students gathered at the TSC area, some BCL men took positions at Modhur Canteen on the campus. The BCL men from Dhaka city units gathered at the Shahbagh area with sticks. Apart from BCL, leaders of Awami League and its other front organisations also thronged the area.
Although they took positions around the campus, they did not clash with the protesters. However, fear gripped the protesters as the leaders and activists of the ruling party gathered around the campus. A section of children of freedom fighters also staged demonstrations at Shahbagh.
After the quota protesters had left the TSC area, the leaders and activists of Awami League and its affiliated organisations including minister of state for information Mohammad Ali Arafat, general secretary of Jubo League Mainul Hossain Khan were seen in the TSC area. Later, the Chhatra League took out a protest march in the campus chanting various slogans. BCL held a rally at the foot of the Raju sculpture after 3 in the night.
The BCL president said his organisation would send those who chanted slogans branding themselves as Razakars to Pakistan, where they actually belong.
Addressing the rally, BCL’s central president Saddam Hossain said there would be no Razakars left on the streets of Bangladesh from Monday. It’s our clear message to leaders of all city and university units to deal with those who want to create anarchy and mock millions of martyrs on the streets.
He also said BCL is fully prepared to give a befitting reply to those who want to distort the comment of the prime minister.
The BCL president said his organisation would send those who chanted slogans branding themselves as Razakars to Pakistan, where they actually belong.
Meanwhile, in a video message at 4 in the morning, the protesting student platform’s coordinator Asif Mahmud said, the insulting comment made about the quota protesters must be withdrawn by 12 noon today.
He asked students to stage demonstrations across the country if the remark is not withdrawn.