Police obstruct FF families ‘Sit-in Prog’
Staff Reporter :
Freedom fighter families and slum-dwellers have been continuing their sit-in programme in front of the National Press Club after police obstructed their programme at Shahbagh intersection in the capital.
Their demands are: compensation for the Kolmilata Bazar at Bijoy Sarani in the capital, and the reinstatement of the Mirpur Bhasantek slum rehabilitation project. Earlier, last Wednesday, freedom fighter families and slum-dwellers held a symbolic sit-in wearing shrouds at the Central Shaheed Minar premises.
FF family members said, before that, on 11 August, when they attempted to stage a symbolic hunger strike at the Secretariat gate, police obstructed them.
On Monday, when they went to Shahbagh intersection to hold their pre-announced sit-in, police barred them.
At that time, Alhaj Md. Abdur Rahim, son of a martyred freedom fighter, said: “For the last 10 consecutive days we have been agitating for our two demands, but the government has not resolved them.
If the situation turns critical, the government must bear the responsibility. If our demands are not met immediately, on 23 August we will march from the National Press Club towards Kolmilata Bazar, and on 28 August we will hold a rally in front of the National Press Club.”
Facing police obstruction, Abdur Rahim said: “We repeatedly placed these two demands before the previous government but got no solution. After the fall of the Hasina government last year, in response to our petition, the head of the interim government directed in September 2024 that the Ministry of Local Government, the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, the Ministry of Land, the Public Security Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs, as well as the Inspector General of Police, will take necessary measures and keep us informed. Following this, in December 2024, the Ministry of Land formed a seven-member committee through a notification, instructing them to submit a report within three months. But for invisible reasons, seven months have passed with no progress. The report has not been submitted, nor has the fate of the slum-dwellers changed.”
He further said: “Since 9 August, Saturday, we have been peacefully continuing our movement. As part of our continuous movement, last Monday when we attempted a symbolic hunger strike at the Secretariat gate, police stopped us. On Monday again, police obstructed our sit-in at Shahbagh. This is very unfortunate. Stopping our movement through obstruction will not halt it-rather; it will make our movement even stronger. No matter how many barriers are put in our way, our movement will continue. Until our demands are met, we will remain on the streets. If necessary, we will sacrifice our lives, but we will not retreat from the streets.”
At that time, he drew the attention of the Chief Adviser, saying: “Freedom fighter families and slum-dwellers have been continuing their movement, but no solution has come yet. If our two demands are not met immediately, slum-dwellers along with the conscious citizens of the country will rise up. Therefore, accept our two demands without delay.”
Present on the occasion were hundreds of slum-dwellers including Advocate Nurataj Ara Oishi, granddaughter of a martyred freedom fighter. The “Struggle Council for Slum Rehabilitation and Compensation for Martyrs’ Families” called upon all to extend support to make the announced programmes of 23 and 28 August successful and effective.
