Photo: Collected
Leaders and activists of Anti-Discrimination student movement are reaching Rajbari field in Gazipur Sadar in groups to attend a rally announced by the Movement in protest of last night's attack on the students by Awami League men. The rally was announced from the facebook page of the Movement at 11:30am today (8 February). The rally is about to start at 1:30pm, where central leaders of the movement will be present, said the facebook post.
The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement announced the protest rally following what it said were attacks on students by Awami League men of Mozammel-Jahangir. They were referring to former liberation war affairs minister AKM Mozammel Haque and former mayor Jahangir Alam.
Sarjis Alam, chief organiser of the National Citizens' Committee, on his Facebook page wrote, "Today will be the last day of Awami League goons in Gazipur. We are coming".
Earlier, Jatiya Nagorik Committee demanded the cancellation of Awami League's registration and seizure of properties owned by corrupt leaders of the party during a rally protesting the last night's (7 February) attack on activists of Anti-Discrimination Student Movement by Awami League men in Gazipur.
The rally was held by the Committee's Gazipur district and city unit in front of the office of the deputy commissioner around 11am today (8 February). During the rally, the speakers made several demands, including cancellation the registration of Awami League as a political party, seizure of properties of the corrupt AL men and immediate arrest of those who attacked the students on Friday.
On Friday night, at least 15 were left injured among a group of agitators attempting to vandalise Mozammel Haque's home in Gazipur on Friday night after their bid was thwarted. The condition of at least three is considered to be serious, confirmed Officer In-Charge of Gazipur Sadar police station Arifur Rahman.
"We went to the spot upon receiving information and admitted 15 people into Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College Hospital after rescuing them from the attack. We did not find anyone to ask about the incident, so we cannot tell what happened there," the OC said.
"The attack happened at the house of ex-minister AKM Mozammel Haque. Later, police and army members brought the situation under control," the OC further said.
Asked about the matter, Joint Convener of Anti-Discrimination Student Movement's Gazipur unit Nabul Ahmed said, "We received information around 8:30pm that the minister's house had been attacked and some students had been confined there. As we received a call to save them, some students went to the spot where they were beaten up."
"Sensing that the students were trapped, we informed police numerous times but they went to the spot after two hours. The attackers were members of Awami League and their allied organisations. At least 50 have been injured, among whom some 10-12 students have been sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in critical conditions. We want justice for the attack and immediate arrest of the attackers," Nabul added.
Sheikh Forhad, resident doctor at Shaheed Tajuddin Ahmed Medical College and Hospital, confirmed receiving 15 injured people till 11pm on Friday, saying, "Those who came to the hospital had injury marks on their bodies. They are being treated at the emergency unit. We have heard that they have been injured in an attack somewhere."
Protesting the incident, some members of the Movement brought out a procession in front of the hospital, where a leader of the movement's Gazipur unit Md Abdullah said, "We received information on Friday night that an attack and looting were taking place at ex-minister Mozammel's house in Dhirashram area."
"Around 15 of our students went to Mozammel's house to stop the attack, and many people gathered there when the students tried to prevent the looting. The attackers had machete and other weapons in their hands, who later injured the students by beating them up and wielding machetes," Abdullah added.
Locals and police said around 9pm, a group attacked Mozammel's Dhirashram house, entering and vandalising it. The local mosque reportedly announced that the house was being robbed and urged locals to come forward. Many heard the announcement and surrounded the house, according to media reports. They also managed to capture some of the agitators. Some video footage on social media showed some people being beaten.
Messenger/Tareq
