Staff Correspondent :
The families of freedom fighters and slum dwellers held a rally in front of the National Press Club with two-point demands on Thursday.
The two demands of the freedom fighter families and slum dwellers are: (1) compensation for the Kolmilata Bazar at Bijoy Smarani in the capital, and (2) reinstatement of the Mirpur Vashantek slum rehabilitation project.
The rally took place in the morning with hundreds of slum dwellers present.
Advocate Nurtaj Ara Oishi, granddaughter of a martyred freedom fighter led the event. Alhaj Md. Abdur Rahim, son of a martyred freedom fighter announced new programs from the rally.
He said that if the demands are not met by September 6, they will lay siege to the residence of the land advisor at 11 am on September 7. If the demands still remain unmet, they will sequentially besiege the residences of the land secretary, the Dhaka deputy commissioner, and the administrators of Dhaka North City Corporation.
In the rally, Abdur Rahim said, “We have been carrying out our movement for 20 consecutive days over these two demands, but the government is offering no solution. When we tried to hold a symbolic hunger strike at the Secretariat gate, the police stopped us. When we tried to stage a sit-in at Shahbagh intersection, the police also obstructed us there. We wore shrouds and staged a symbolic protest at the Central Shaheed Minar premises. We held a sit-in in front of Kolmilata Bazar. Today (August 28), we staged a rally in front of the National Press Club. Still, the government shows no concern. We want to state clearly-until our demands are met, we will not return home. If any harm comes to us, the government must bear full responsibility. If our demands are not met immediately, we will be forced to announce stricter programs.”
Abdur Rahim further said, “Even during the past autocratic government, we repeatedly sought solutions to these two demands but received none. Although one year has passed, the interim government has not yet met our demands, which is extremely unfortunate. Instead, they are trying to suppress our movement through police action. But this movement cannot be stopped by force; rather, it will only gain momentum. No matter how many obstacles are put in our way, our movement will continue. Until our demands are fulfilled, we will remain on the streets. If necessary, we will sacrifice our lives, but we will not retreat from the streets.”
