RSC urges Chuppu to avoid Shaheed Minar in 1st hour of Ekushey

The Revolutionary Students’ Council (RSC) has called on President Md Shahabuddin Chuppu to refrain from visiting the Central Shaheed Minar during the first hour of Ekushey commemorations. 

The organisation made the call in response to the President's silence during the massacre in July and August.

Abdul Wahed, the convener of the RSC, made this call during an ongoing public protest at the Raju Sculpture at Dhaka University on Wednesday afternoon. He criticised the President for not speaking out during the events in question and for gaining the presidency through what he described as an "illegal election" by MPs loyal to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Wahed said, "We lost over two thousand brothers and sisters in July and August. The President was silent throughout these events. He remains in office supported only by vested interests, despite the dissolution of parliament and the flight of Hasina's MPs."

He continued, "The people do not wish to see Shahabuddin Chuppu in public. He should reflect on his role from within Bangabhaban and recognise the pointlessness of his position post-fascist regime."

Wahed emphasised that Shahabuddin Chuppu should not set foot on the Dhaka University campus, which he described as the cradle of the July Revolution, nor should he visit the Central Shaheed Minar during the early hours of February 21.

Since February 13, a public sit-in has been ongoing at the Raju Sculpture, demanding the ban of the Awami League and its allied parties. This sit-in began with a hunger strike by two leaders of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, Md Omar Faruk, and Abu Sayeed, and was later joined by members of the RSC. 

The protest expanded when, on February 16, the family of martyr Rana Talukder from Jatrabari expressed solidarity and urged the continuation of the sit-in until the Awami League is banned. Following this, the hunger strike was paused in favour of continuous public protests.