Inqilab Mancha Holds ‘March for Insaf’ at NSTU Demanding Trial in Hadi Killing Among Three Demands

Inqilab Mancha has held a ‘March for Insaf’ programme at Noakhali Science and Technology University (NSTU), demanding implementation of the July Charter, trial of the killing of Shaheed Sharif Osman Bin Hadi, and trials of the Shapla Chattar and Pilkhana killings. At a protest march and rally on the university campus on Saturday (October 31) afternoon, the organisation's leaders announced they would continue the movement until their three demands are met.

The protest march set out from the university's main gate at 5pm on Saturday. After parading through different roads, it ended in front of the central Shaheed Minar.

Participants chanted slogans including ‘Bangladesher azadi, Usman Hadi’, ‘Tumi ke ami ke, Hadi Hadi’ and ‘Amar bhai kobore, khuni keno Bharote’, among others.

Inqilab Mancha convener Abdullah Al Jaber and member secretary Fatima Tasnim Juma attended the programme as chief guests. Leaders and activists of the organisation at district and university levels also took part.

After the march, a brief rally was held on the central Shaheed Minar premises. There, member secretary Fatima Tasnim Juma said they have begun a foot march from Banglabandha Zero Point to Teknaf Zero Point to realise their three-point demands.

Setting out the three demands, she said they are: trial of the killing of Shaheed Osman Hadi by December 18, implementation of the July Charter in line with the verdict of the July referendum, and ensuring the trials of the Shapla, Pilkhana and July mass killings.

She also said: “These demands are not only Inqilab Mancha's; they are the people's demands for establishing justice in the country. With the people beside us, we will continue the movement without any compromise until the demands are met.”

At the rally, convener Abdullah Al Jaber said: “The country has to be freed from gonoroom-guestroom culture, question leaks, impunity and the deterioration of the law-and-order situation.” He alleged that instead of effective punishment, measures like transfers are being taken against people involved in grave offences such as question leaks. He also demanded implementation of the July Charter and enforcement of the referendum verdict.

Jaber added: “Even after holding various programmes demanding the trial of Shaheed Osman Hadi's killing, justice has still not been served.” Placing the three demands before the government, he said: “These demands belong not to any political party, but to the people of Bangladesh.”

Speaking on the country's law-and-order situation, Abdullah Al Jaber criticised the home minister. He said that in an independent, sovereign state, they now have to move from street to street seeking justice after a citizen has been killed.

He alleged that the home minister claims law and order has greatly improved over the past eight months, yet under this very government a bus is stopped in broad daylight and robbed, the body of a flight lieutenant surfaces, and people like Miraj Sheikh remain missing for 204 days.