Sujan called for the protection of victims including minority communities
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Photo: Collected
Citizens for Good Governance (Sujan) called for no violence, looting or vandalism, no taking the law into one's own hands and protecting and standing by the victims of miscreants, including religious and ethnic minorities.
At the same time, Sujan leaders called to stop any attempt to destroy state or private property with loss of life and to protect religious institutions.
They made the demand at a press conference titled 'Sujan's call in the current political situation' at Sujan's central secretariat in the capital's Mohammadpur at 3:30 pm on Tuesday (August 6).
The press conference was attended by Sujan's Secretary Badiul Alam Majumdar, Sujan executive member Shahdeen Malik and Professor Robayet Ferdous, Sujan Dhaka Metropolitan Committee Secretary Zubairul Haque Nahid and others. Dilip Kumar Sarkar, Central Coordinator of Sujan presented the written statement.
Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar said, yesterday we have achieved an unprecedented, unimaginable victory. According to many it is our second liberation. In this context, it is natural for people to express their enthusiasm. Because for the last 15 years we have been in prison a lot. During this time we were deprived of our freedom of speech and other civil rights. We achieved this victory with the leadership of our young students and the participation of the common people. We sincerely thank everyone. Our youth are the worthy successors of our freedom fighters. I pay my respects to those who laid down their lives and pray for their souls to rest in peace. They are our national heroes.
He said, through this victory, a new possibility has been created in front of us; the door has been opened to repair the state. An opportunity has been created to build a democratic, non-sectarian, developed and livable state. But if we fail to demonstrate accountability, this possibility may be blocked. We have noticed that, in the name of victory celebration, some unexpected events happened yesterday, which were not expected. We condemn the attacks and vandalism. We urge everyone to refrain from these activities.
In response to a question Dr. Badiul Alam Majumdar said, we have to create a new political settlement, so that the authoritarian regime does not return and a democratic and happy-prosperous Bangladesh is created.
Dr. Shahdeen Malik said that any kind of violence and destruction is not desired by anyone. I do not support the devastation that happened yesterday. But I think not much has happened here compared to other countries. And this is possible due to the responsible behavior of the students. Today the students are cleaning the roads today, controlling the traffic. Many are returning looted goods. So I want to be optimistic.
He said, we had various weaknesses. There was no accountability in our political parties, many university teachers have given up their conscience for the sake of halwa-rooties, civil society also has many limitations, journalists also have many shameful biases. Due to these reasons, authoritarian rule was imposed on us. Therefore, everyone should be vigilant so that autocratic rule does not return to our country in the future.
About the new government Dr. Shahdeen Malik said that the interim government will definitely try to repair the state by discussing with everyone. We have to remember that this is not rocket science. Some reforms can be done in the short term, some reforms will take time. But we have to be optimistic.
Professor Robayet Ferdous said, one of the characteristics of power is to become authoritarian. Therefore, a monitoring structure of 'checks and balances' should be established, creating accountability rather than individual governance. Hasina's rule may have ended, but the government has to be constantly guarded and monitored so that authoritarian rule does not return.
While presenting the main article, Dilip Kumar Sarkar said that the Awami League-led government fell on August 5 through a popular uprising. For this we congratulate the people including the leaders of the anti-discrimination student movement. Yesterday, the Army Chief announced the formation of an interim government in his address to the nation after sitting with some political parties and some citizens. We are waiting for it.
He said, after the fall of the government, widespread violence has spread across the country. In this situation, on behalf of Sujan, we make some calls to the countrymen: 1. The language of celebrating one's victory should not be violence, looting or destruction; No one should take the law into his own hands; Protect and stand by those victimized by perpetrators, including religious and ethnic minorities; Resist any attempt to destroy public or private property with loss of life; Protect religious institutions including temples.
Dilip Kumar Sarkar said, we appeal to His Excellency the President and the Army Chief to take any political decision in consultation with the leaders of all registered political parties and anti-discrimination student movement. We believe that after the fall of an authoritarian government comes an opportunity for state repair, including democratic state-building. The interim government that will be formed later, that government will have to take initiatives in this regard. They should remember that Bangladesh became independent with the dream of forming a non-communal, democratic, exploitation and discrimination-free, humane and self-reliant state through the Great War of Liberation. Let us uphold this spirit of freedom.
