Freedom fighter families to call hartal
Staff Reporter :
Freedom fighter families and slum dwellers have been continuing their sit-in program in front of the National Press Club since August 9, for 39 consecutive days till Tuesday demanding compensation for Kolmilata Bazar and withdrawal of the order canceling the Mirpur Bhasantek Slum Rehabilitation Project agreement.
As part of this, , the demonstrators brought out processions from the National Press Club, Doel Chattar, Bijoynagar Water Tank, and Ray Sa Bazar intersection, and in phases submitted memorandums to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Land Adviser, and the Dhaka District Commissioner (DC), as well as to BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.
After submitting the memorandums, Md. Abdur Rahim, son of a martyred freedom fighter, said: “We have been protesting for 38 consecutive days, but so far the government has not taken any effective step to fulfill our demands. Although the Senior Secretary of the Land Ministry gave us assurances twice recently, no solution has actually come. Even during the past autocratic government, we repeatedly demanded solutions to these two issues, but got nothing.
Now, even after one year has passed, the interim government has yet to accept our demands, which is extremely unfortunate. Instead, the government is trying to suppress our movement by using the police. But stopping our movement through obstruction will not succeed. Alongside the sit-in program, candlelight processions will continue every day at 7:00 pm.”
Announcing a new program, Abdur Rahim said:
“If our two demands are not met within the next 10 days, then on Sunday, September 28, we, the freedom fighter families and slum dwellers, will enforce a dawn-to-dusk hartal in Dhaka city.”
Seeking the cooperation of all political leaders, the speakers present said:
“We once again call on the interim government to immediately accept our two-point demand.”
At the event, Advocate Nurataj Ara Oishi, Advocate Ziaur Rahman, National Anti-Corruption Coordination Committee Secretary General Mr. Sarwar Wadud Chowdhury, along with hundreds of slum dwellers, were present.
