Shahbagh protesters vow to avenge Rajib killing

Protesters vowed to avenge the killing of blogger Ahmed Rajib Haidar as they continue their demonstration at Shahbagh intersection for the 12th straight day on Saturday.

Rajib, 30, an architect and Shahbagh protest activist, was found stabbed dead near his house at Pallabi in the capital Friday night. This prompted the protesters to go back to their 24-hour movement instead of seven-hour programme which they had declared hours before the death.

The organisers decided to limit the protest to seven hours daily considering people’s sufferings, especially of the patients of two adjacent hospitals—Birdem and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University.

Around 6:30am Saturday, the protesters started the day's activities with the national anthem.

Expressing their rage over Rajib’s death, they chanted fiery slogans like “Shaheed Rajib er rokto amader dhomonite” (Rajib's blood flowing in our vein) and “Aar noy protirodh, ebar hobe protishodh,” (no more prevention, it's time for taking revenge).

Wearing black badges, people from all walks of life including students of schools, colleges and universities were seen converging at the intersection popularly known as 'Projonmo Chattar' in the morning.

Over 2,000 people were breaking out in chants of “Shaheed Rajib er dabi, razakar er fashi (death penalty for collaborators was the demand of Shaheed Rajib), Shaheed Rajiber rakta britha jete dibo na (blood of Rajib will not go in vain) and Razakar er hole fashi sobar mukhe futbe hashi (everyone will smile if the collaborators hanged).

Actor ATM Shamsuzzaman also joined the protest around 11:30am.

They also sang gono shongeet (mass song) in unison at Shahbagh where namaz-e-janaza of Rajib will be held after Asr prayers today.

The movement began on February 5, soon after a war crimes tribunal sentenced Jamaat leader Abdul Quader Mollah to life term in prison for crimes against humanity during the 1971 war.

The protest was initiated by Bloggers and Online Activist Network, but it soon turned into a mass movement. Within days, it spread to other parts of the country, with the call for capital punishment to all war criminals getting louder and louder.

But Rajib's death sparked the protest, prompting the organisers to go back to their 24-hour movement instead of the seven hours protest daily.

The Shahbagh protesters have been demanding immediate arrest of the killers and banning pro-Jamaat blog Sonarbangla that had been carrying out propaganda against Rajib over the last few days.

The protesters on February 10 submitted a six-point charter to the Speaker, demanding death penalty for all war criminals, and revocation of the state's power to grant them amnesty.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the same day thanked the youths for raising voice against the 1971 war criminals.

Our Madaripur correspondent adds: Some youths brought out a procession at Rajoir upazila around 1:00pm demanding arrest of the killers of Rajib.

They also vandalised a branch of Islami bank at Tekerhat Bandar.

Promise to avenge of Rajib's killing

Protestors of the Shahbagh Chattar newly named as Projanma Chattar on Saturday miorning started their 12th consecutive day of demonstration with the promise to avenge the killing of of blogger Ahmed Rajib Haidar and prevent the hartal called by Jamaat.

Protesters also announced at 11:00pm Friday to continue the ongoing protest round the clock back tracking the earlier announcement over the barbaric killing of Rajib. They also observed one-minute silence remembering the memory of slain blogger.

Earlier, on Friday afternoon protester announced to stage their protest from 3pm-10pm everyday considering the suffering of city people and the patient of two adjacent hospitals—Birdem and Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University.

At around 7am on Saturday protestors started their demonstration for the 12th day with singing the national anthem.

Expressing their rage over Rajib’s death, they chanted fiery slogans like “Shaheed Rajib er rokto amader dhomonite” (Rajib's blood flowing in our vein) and “Aar noy protirodh, ebar hobe protishodh,” (no more prevention, its time for taking revenge).

People from all walks of life including students of schools, colleges and universities wearing black badges, were seen converging at the 'Projonmo Chattar' in the morning.

Actor ATM Shamsuzzaman also joined the protest around 11:30am.

Protestors call upon to list the name of Jamaat-Shibir men of each para, mohalla and village in all over the country for taking proper action against their terror and killing.

Unidentified miscreants stabbed blogger Rajib Hyder Shovon to death at Palashnagar area near his house of city’s Mirpur on Friday night.

He used to write blog with ‘Thaba-Baba’ nick name in Amar Blog.

The movement began on February 5, soon after a war crimes tribunal sentenced Jamaat leader Abdul Quader Mollah to life term in prison for crimes against humanity during the 1971 war.

The protest was initiated by Bloggers and Online Activist Network, but it soon turned into a mass movement. Within days, it spread to other parts of the country, with the call for capital punishment to all war criminals getting louder and louder.

The Shahbagh protesters have been demanding immediate arrest of the killers and banning pro-Jamaat blog Sonarbangla that had been carrying out propaganda against Rajib over the last few days.

The protesters on February 10 submitted a six-point charter to the Speaker, demanding death penalty for all war criminals, and revocation of the state's power to grant them amnesty.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the same day thanked the youths for raising voice against the 1971 war criminals.

Shahbagh uprising a “new generation roundabout”:

The Economist in a report on the online edition on Friday described the Shahbagh uprising as a “new-generation roundabout.” 

They are the biggest rallies in Bangladesh for at least two decades and hundreds of thousands of protesters gather peacefully each day in Dhaka, the capital, demanding vengeance against a bearded political figure, Abdul Quader Mollah, said the news item of The Economist.

Their numbers swell daily: ordinary people furious that, despite his conviction for dreadful crimes during Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971, Quader Mollah faces only a life sentence, the report said.
The rallies began on February 5 after online activists called for protests at Shahbagh, a busy intersection in central Dhaka. They want Mollah and others on trial to face the death penalty. He (Mollah) was convicted by the International Crimes Tribunal, a local court, set up by the government of Sheikh Hasina, to prosecute men, largely from an Islamic opposition party, accused of murder, torture, rape and other wartime atrocities, the report further said. 
When, somewhat unexpectedly, Mollah was spared a death sentence, he was seen flicking supporters a V-for-victory sign. That smug gesture may have helped to provoke the outrage.

Shahbagh has given its name to the protests, though some now dub it “new generation roundabout”, hinting at broad aspirations for political change. Families attend, with toddlers sporting bandannas bearing slogans that call for the death penalty. Television coverage helps to draw the crowds.

By February 15, and Friday prayers, 500,000 people may gather. The sight of young, otherwise progressive Bangladeshis seeking capital punishment, through music, street theatre, chants and recitals, is both moving and unsettling. Almost no one pays heed to known flaws in the trial.

Both the ruling Awami League and, belatedly, the chief opposition, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), have fallen in with the protests. Senior politicians from the ruling party have attempted to co-opt the demonstrations, but their efforts to speak to the crowd were firmly rebuffed. Still, the League could get a boost. 

Sheikh Hasina honoured her promise to hold war-crimes trials. In parliament this week she also spoke up for the death penalty, saying that even impartial judges must listen to public opinion. Next, the parliament is expected, on February 17, to amend the act behind the war-crimes court so that the government can appeal against verdicts. Mollah’s reprieve may be short-lived.

Matters are trickier for the BNP, which dallied for eight days before joining the protesters. It had more to lose, in particular a useful electoral alliance with the biggest Islamist party, the Jamaat-e-Islami, whose leaders comprise most of those on trial. In the end, so many BNP supporters went off to join the Shahbagh protests that the party had no choice.

Protesters say that their movement is a narrow one against political Islam: in favour of secular government, they want Jamaat banned. A rampage by Jamaat’s violent youth wing has done nothing to damp down such calls. The government, which has already brought back an explicitly secular constitution from 1972, may soon feel ready to move.

Yet, as with any big protests, further political demands may emerge. The protests could become a plea for broad change. Few like a political system dominated by a long, bitter fight between a pair of self-serving dynasties, those of Sheikh Hasina and the BNP’s Khaleda Zia, and their stave-wielding followers. If that duopoly were broken up, many at Shahbagh would celebrate.

One shahbag Fredom fighter brutally killed

A blogger and activist of Shahbagh movement was found stabbed dead last night, hours after the organisers decided to discontinue from today the 24-hour blockade.

The killing prompted the organisers to abandon a plan to demonstrate in front of National Museum from 3:00pm to 10:00pm every day.

The victim, Ahmed Rajib Haidar, lived with his brother Newaz Mortoza Haidar at Palash Nagar in the capital's Mirpur area. Police found the body, bearing several stabs, near his house.

Outraged, the Shahbagh protesters demanded immediate arrest of the killers and banning pro-Jamaat blog Sonarbangla that had been carrying out propaganda against Rajib over the last few days.

They also called upon the nation to resist the countrywide hartal called by Jamaat for Monday.

The protesters have also observed one-minute silence last night and they will wear black badges this morning to mourn for Rajib.

His namaz-e-janaza will be held at the Shahbagh intersection after Asr prayers today.

Rajib, 30, an architect, was active on Amarblog under the nickname, Thaba Baba. He posted many blogs on the Liberation War and Jamaat activities.

About eight hours before being murdered, Rajib posted a status on Facebook calling upon the people to boycott Jamaat's media houses, coaching centres, cultural organisations and commercial institutions.

Earlier, blogger Imran H Sarkar at the grand rally yesterday announced a plan to hold seven-hour protest daily, considering sufferings of people, especially patients at two adjacent hospitals.

Imran, also the convener of Blogger and Online Activist Network, reading out the declaration of the rally, said, “This struggle will continue until we achieve victory... none of us will leave the streets.”

Imran reiterated they were not dependent on any particular political party, but on the support of the people.

The organisers also announced that they would hold a grand rally on March 26 marking the tenth anniversary of Shaheed Janani Jahanara Imam-led Gana Adalat (people's court).

Jahanara Imam, the mother of a martyred freedom fighter, set up the court asking for the people's verdict against war criminals of 1971.

The organisers of the movement -- which began on February 5 hours after war criminal Quader Mollah was sentenced to life imprisonment -- called upon all educational institutions to hoist the national flag and sing the National Anthem at 10:00am on Sunday.

The grand rally began a little after 3:00pm yesterday. Songs composed for Shahbagh movement and the National Anthem sung by demonstrators inaugurated the rally.

The protesters commemorated Zahurul Haq, who was killed on February 15, 1969 while he was under trial. He was one of the 35 persons accused in the Agartala conspiracy case.

His murder intensified the mass movement against West Pakistan and the government was forced to withdraw the case seven days after his death.

The leaders of different student organisations addressing the rally demanded justice for war crimes and ban on Jamaat-Shibir activities.

“If the Nazi party can be banned, why can't we ban Jamaat?” said Saiful Zaman, president of Samajtantrik Chhatra Front.

Rabi, a standard-II student of Bangladesh International School and College, came to the rally with a placard reading, "My grandfather was present at the Race Course Maidan in 1971. I am present at Shahbagh."

Tofazzal Hossain, a businessman of Lalbagh area, said he had boycotted Islami Bank, a financial institution allegedly linked to Jamaat.

Shefard Shaon Sarkar, a final year student of Brac University said it is very necessary to boycott all the organisations of Jamaat.

Some Language Movement heroes came to the rally to express their solidarity with the movement.

Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, economist Prof Abul Barakat, writer Mohammad Zafar Iqbal, Vice-chancellor of Jahangirnagar University Prof Anwar Hossain, writer Syed Shamsul Haq, cartoonist Ahsan Habib, writer Humayun Ahmed's mother Ayesha Foyez, among others, were present.

JAMAAT KILLED RAJIB? 
Rajib's aunt Nurun Nahar said, “He told me that he will go to Shahbagh after lunch.”

“At about 9:00pm, we saw a body about 6-7 feet far from the main gate of the house.”

Neighbours could not identify him immediately as his face was marked with indiscriminate stabs.

Local lawmaker Elias Uddin Mollah alleged Jamaat was behind Rajib's killing as the deceased was involved in Shahbagh movement.

Abdul Latif Sheikh, officer-in-charge of Pallabi Police Station, told The Daily Star they were yet to know who murdered Rajib.

Abdur Rouf, a witness, said, “When I saw the body, Rajib's mobile phone was ringing. His laptop was beside him.”

“I saw marks of stabs in his chin and cheek”, he said, adding “I saw a blood soaked machete near the body.”

Locals said people were busy watching BPL match that is why they did not heard any commotion.

WAR HEROES RETURN

They had fought and won a war 42 years ago. But, motivated by the young protesters of Shahbagh, they have joined a second war. This time, the freedom fighters wish to finish the fight once and for all.

"Those who nourish the spirit of 1971 cannot just watch the movement on television. If justice is not done this time, our country will never be free of stigma," says freedom fighter SM Idris Hossain.

Talking to The Daily Star yesterday, he said he fought the Liberation War under sector number two during.

“The spirit and the energy of the Shahbagh movement brought me to the streets," said Idris, form Demra. He added the Shahbagh intersection had been his home for the last seven days.

Freedom fighter Nazrul Islam could not stay at his Gaibandha home any further. He watched on TV history happening at Shahbagh in the capital for the first three days till February 7.

“This movement has regenerated in me the feeling of battlefield of 1971. I believe it is the youths who hold the torch of the nation," he said, vowing not to leave the protest venue until their demands were met.

"We fought the war of 1971 with guns and tanks, but we could not eliminate the collaborators of the Pakistani occupation forces. Now, together with the young generation, we can rid the nation of the Pakistani ghosts [Razakars and war criminals]," said Rabiul Hasan.

He said he fought under sector number seven during the 1971 war. He came form Khulna to join the movement on February 11, and said he would not go home until justice was delivered.

Ansari Ahmed, another freedom fighter, has made the Shahbagh intersection his home since February 6, the day after the movement began. “No nation with a disgraceful history can move forward. We cannot think of building our dream nation until we wipe out such a past."

SM Alam Hiru said he took up guns in 1971 to free the country from Pakistani repression. But the young generation has put up a new fight, a fight to ensure justice.

He is with the movement form day one. “What amazes me most is the strong nationalism and patriotism of the young generation."

Milon Roy, another freedom fighter, said, “We have come here so the young generation knows that the nation is with them."

He too joined the movement on the very first day. He initially thought to spend five hours every day on the street. "But I cannot leave the place when I see the vigour of the youths."

Since February 6, he has been at the protest venue for at least 12 hours every day.