Syed Shemul Parvez :
Shapla Chattar massacre, another black chapter for the people of Bangladesh, where fascist Sheikh Hasina’s security forces attacked innocent Allah and Prophet lovers on May 5, 2013 by cutting off electricity, shutting down mobile networks and removing the media.
That day three-pronged attack was carried out by the police, RAB and BGB on the peaceful stand of Hefazat leaders and activists, occurring the brutal massacre.
Many political leaders claim that the Shapla Chattar massacre happened in 2013 on the order of fascist Sheikh Hasina has even surpassed the black night of March 25, 1971. Over the issue, Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh has recently released the names and identities of 93 people who were killed at Shapla Chattar. The list is a preliminary draft and the number may increase after verification, the organisation said.
Mufti Kefayetullah Azhari confirmed this on Sunday (May 4). Earlier, Odhikar, a human rights organisation, has published a list of 61 killed at the rally.
However, the Awami League government repeatedly claimed that no one died in the Shapla Chattar operation.
Chief Adviser’s Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, in a Facebook post on May 3 claimed that 58 people, including seven members of security forces, were killed in two days of violence at Hefazat-e-Islam’s rally at Shapla Chattar in the capital in 2013.
Besides, the International Crimes Tribunal has issued arrest warrants against deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and four others on charges of “massacring” Hifazat-e Islam members during a rally in Motijheel in 2013.
The four others accused in the case are former state minister for home affairs Shamsul Haque Tuku, former inspector general of police Shahidul Hoque, former army officer Ziaul Ahsan and former police officer Molla Nazrul Islam.
In this regards, Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (JAGPA) Vice President and party spokesperson Rashed Pradhan said, Sheikh Hasina’s security forces attacked innocent people including pious Muslims on May 5 by cutting off electricity, shutting down mobile networks and removing the media.
Addressing the interim government, Rashed Pradhan said, more than 150,000 ammunitions were used, 367 unclaimed bodies were buried, 7,500 law enforcement personnel participated in the massacre, the names of 61 martyrs were published by the Odhikar organization, and even after 9 months of Sheikh Hasina’s fall, you have not been able to form an investigation commission.
The words are clear, form an independent investigation commission as soon as possible and prosecute Sheikh Hasina and her cronies for the Shapla massacre, he added.
In this issue, Dr. Touhidul Haque, social crime specialist and associate professor of Dhaka University, told The New Nation that there is still mystery behind the Shapla Chattar massacre.
Many humanitarians’ organizations already published many casualties figure as well as accused criminal’s lists. But we will suggest the government to investigate the incident very carefully so that actual criminals get proper punishment releasing innocent personnel, he said.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir has held a human wall program demanding justice for the genocide committed by the Awami fascist government around the Hefajat rally at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel.
Speakers at the human wall program organized at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel, the capital, said that a brutal murder was committed on innocent religious people in the dark of night that day. It is regrettable that the Shapla massacre has not been tried even though 8 months have passed since the fall of fascism.
They strongly demanded that the Prime Minister of the fallen fascist government involved in the massacre at Shapla Chattar be immediately brought to justice. Otherwise, they will hold a strong movement to achieve their demands.
