Even in the chilling cold and wind, followers of the Inqilab Mancha continued their sit-in at Shahbagh intersection on Friday night, December 26, to press home the demand to arrest all killers of Sharif Osman bin Hadi.
Besides, the Inqilab Mancha, a platform centring the last year’s student-led July Uprising that ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, announced to continue their protest programme until all the killers are brought to justice.
Abdullah Al Jaber, member secretary of the platform, made the announcement while addressing the protesters at Shahbag tonight.
He said, “We will stay here throughout the night. We have sent people to bring blankets. Hadi Bhai had purchased these blankets during his lifetime for those without clothing, but he did not get the chance to distribute them. We must remain healthy. After the programme ends, we will distribute those to the destitute.”
As an admission test of Dhaka University is scheduled for Saturday, he told the crowd, “From 9:00 am, we will position ourselves around the area to ensure that students can sit for their exams. However, we will not withdraw the blockade.”
The Inqilab Mancha has been staging a protest by blocking the Shahbagh intersection since 2:00 pm today, demanding justice for the murder of its spokesperson, Osman Hadi.
Alongside the leaders of the platform, people from various professions and walks of life were seen participating in the programme.
Hadi, who played an active role in the July uprising, formed Inqilab Mancha in August last year and became a well-known figure nationwide for his outspoken opposition to the ousted Awami League and to India.
The platform has been carrying out a series of programmes demanding the arrest and trial of Hadi’s killers. As part of a previously announced programme, they blocked the Shahbag intersection today.
During the protest, along with chanting slogans, participants intermittently recited poetry. The Mancha member Mohammad Shahin recited a poem during the demonstration.
Earlier in the afternoon, the Mancha, through a Facebook post, called upon the people of Bangladesh to come to Shahbagh and join the sit-in demanding trial for the killing of Hadi.
Speaking at Shahbagh, Al Jaber said that they would remain on the streets until justice was served.
“This blockade is ongoing, and it will continue. We will not leave until justice is ensured. Until everyone involved in the murder of Hadi – those who planned it and those who carried it out – is arrested, we will not leave the streets. We have no option left to return home,” he threatened.
Source: UNB