B’desh freedom fighters give ultimatum to take action against MP

<br>The demand was made by speakers at a protest rally organised by the Muktijoddha Sangsad Sontan Command Chittagong Metropolitan and District Committee at the Chittagong Press Club premises on Thursday.

Earlier, at least six people, including journalists, were injured in an attack on a rally to protest against the burial of Ali Ashraf, a freedom fighter, without state honours last year.

Muktijoddha commander Abul Hashem, Chittagong Press Club General Secretary, Krishak League leader Jahirul Islam, BCL leaders Abu Sadat Md Sayem, Arman Hossain and Joy Sarkar were among the injured.

On August 2, Purbadesh daily reporter Faruk Abdullah, who’s also Ashraf’s nephew, had a case filed against him under Digital Security Act for allegedly making derogatory comment on Facebook against the ruling party lawmaker and denouncing the burial of his uncle without state honour.

Organisers and victims said that the MP’s followers had carried out the attack.

Ashraf, who was the commander of Shekherkhil union unit of Muktijoddha Sangsad and the labour affairs secretary of Banshkhali upazila Awami Leaguem died of old age complications on July 26 and was buried at his ancestral house the next day.

Speaking as the chief guest at the rally, Rana Das Gupta, Public Prosecutor of the International Crime Tribunal (ICT) and a heroic freedom fighter, said the agitation should continue till a final verdict is reached against Banshkhali MP Mostafizur Rahman Chowdhury, who directed the attack on freedom fighters and journalists.

He said the MP and his family were part of the anti-liberation forces during the 1971 war.

“Otherwise, as a lawmaker of the ruling party, he cannot comment that the liberation war did not take place in Banshkhali, Bangladesh. If an MP distorts the history of independence while the pro-independence party is in power, then the exact history of the liberation war will not reach the future generations.

“Therefore, I demand the government to take immediate punitive action against these MPs who distorted the history of the liberation war,” Gupta added.

Meanwhile, Faruk Abdullah, staff reporter of a local daily in Chittagong, was sued under the digital security act for allegedly using “abusive language” against the MP on social media.

–IANS<br>sumi/ksk/