Zafrullah Chowdhury demands resignation of home minister

Zafrullah Chowdhury consoling families of persons who were killed. Sunday afternoon, Hajiganj, CumillaAlam Palash

Zafrullah Chowdhury, founder of Gonoshasthya Kendra, has demanded the resignation of the home minister following the killing of four persons during an attack on a temple in Hajiganj, Chandpur and clashes between the police and a certain group, after reports circulated of the Holy Quran being desecrated in Cumilla.

He made this demand today, Sunday, while visiting damaged temples in Hajiganj bazar.

Speaking to newspersons about these incidents of communal violence, Zafrullah Chowdhury said, this is an unfortunate incident for the nation. This incident is a failure of the home minister and the government.

Home minister Asaduzzaman Kamal is a good man, a good minister and a valiant freedom fighter. But the intelligence agencies did not provide him with accurate information. They made a fool out of him. They misled him.

Zafrullah Chowdhury went on to say, the home minister said he had provided security to all temples, but that was not so. And so the responsibility falls in the home minister. That is why he demanded the resignation of the home minister.

The founder of Gonoshasthya Kendra said, "I have come to beg forgiveness from the families of those who were killed. We failed to save them. The government failed to protect the lives and property of Hindus, Muslims, everyone. The government should resign and set up a national government, reinstate democracy."

Zafrullah Chowdhury first visited two damaged temples in Hajiganj bazar. Later he met with two families of the four killed persons.

He was accompanied by Bhasani Onushari Parishad secretary general Rafiqul Islam, members Sadia Arman and Hasibuddin Hossain, Gonoshasthya Kendra press advisor Jahangir Alam and Shaheed Asad's younger brother Moniruzzaman, among others.