Sylhet Bureau

A procession' programme was held at central shohid mineer in Sylhet on Wednesday to protest the indiscriminate killings by the government forces.

The procession started from the premises of the Central Shaheed Minar in Chauhatta of Sylhet city and circled the Jindababazar road of the city. The song procession was organized by Sylhet's theater organization Nagarnat, civic organization Dushkal Prote Amara and Angsukkur Nagorik Andolan. At four o'clock, the song procession started with the song 'Bangla Karo Dane Pawa Nai' sung by Arup Baul, the executive member of Nagarnat, the organizer of this song procession. Sylhet theater, cultural workers and civil society representatives participated in it. Civil society representatives of Sylhet led the march.

Cultural activists of Sylhet including Ujjwal Chakraborty, members Ankhi, Swarna, Tanvi, Shaon, Rajan, Devarshi, Raj, Rajeshwari, Tinni of Sylhet performed songs in protest of this killing and injustice going on in the country. After performing the song 'Karar Oi Louh Kapat', the procession went around the road and ended at the central Shaheed Minar. During the song, various protest slogans were also given by the representatives of cultural workers and civil society of Sylhet.

Abdul Karim Kim, coordinator of the aggrieved citizens' movement, gave a welcome speech by highlighting the context of the program in front of Sylhet Central Martyr's Minar after the music procession. He said, in the name of suppression of student protests centered on the quota reform movement, brutal massacres have been organized in the country. Which outraged our human consciousness. We, like the people of the whole country, are shocked, saddened and saddened by the government's failure, incitement and brutality of human rights violations. Bleeding conscience as a human being. From that persecution, we have come down the road to express our clear position against this massacre.

Advocate Emadullah Shahidul Islam Shaheen, former president of Sylhet District Lawyers Association, said that never in the history of Bangladesh have helicopters fired on ordinary people. Today Bangladeshi students are fired from helicopters, vehicles for anti-discrimination movement, anti-quota movement.

The police fired from the front and back of the procession. 211 people were killed. Out of which 45 percent are students. In terms of age, 75 percent are young. We believe that the killing of innocent students is a national genocide. We want an impartial investigation into this massacre. And it is our main demand that each murder will be tried in a separate legal process through investigation. We protest against the anti-constitutional activities taking place in the country today, such as the removal of DB offices in the name of security.

Where the High Court said it was making fun of the nation. In the country where the high court is mocking these activities of the government, the state is continuing these activities. So we think the government is violating the constitution one after another and they should be prosecuted. According to the constitution of Bangladesh, every citizen has the right to freedom of movement. But curfew has been given today. They are trying to suppress the movement with black laws like Sandhya Act. It is also against the constitution. So we demand that this anti-constitutional activity be tried.

Debashish Debu, the spokesperson of Sylhet Ganajagran Manch, said that people of various classes and professions of students' movement all over the country have been killed indiscriminately. We have done this program today to protest the killing of these people. There has never been such a massacre since independence. We stand in solidarity with the students' demands. Besides, if the freedom fighters are insulted by this movement, we are also protesting against it. And protesting those who vandalized public and private buildings from the movement. But indiscriminate killings cannot continue in a free country for any reason. So we are demanding justice for these murders.

Arup Baul, executive member of Nagarnat said, killings are done in this country based on any issue. Because there is no justice in this country. All kinds of people including children, youth, old people, students, businessmen, laborers have been killed in this ongoing movement of students. We think the government forces are responsible for this indiscriminate killing. As we are cultural workers, we have demanded justice for this massacre of the government by singing in the streets.

Among others, present in the gathering were the President of Citizens for Good Governance (SUJAN) Farooq Mahmud Chowdhury, President of Environment and Heritage Conservation Trust Dr. Shahzaman Chowdhury Bahar, Sylhet Divisional President of Bangladesh Women Lawyers Association Syeda Shirin Akhtar, Professor of Political Studies Department of Shahjalal University of Science and Technology Dr. Dilara Rahman, political organizers Advocate Ansar Khan, Ujjal Roy and Rezaul Kibria, former president of Samilit Natya Parishad Monir Helal, lawyers Arup Shyam Bappi and Zakia Jalal, coordinator of Amara for Drought Prevention Debashish Debu, theater activists Ujjwal Chakraborty, Nahid Parvez, Bappi Trivedi, Rajib Russell, Debujyeti Debu, Malay Chakraborty, Ripon Chowdhury, Nayan Nimu, Nirban Johnny, Architect Prasenjit Rudra, Income Tax Advisor Mukhleshur Rahman, Youth Union Presidium member Matiur Rafu, former student leaders, Khaled Murshid Munna, Kibria Chowdhury Sumon and Shahiduzzan Paplu, first North American resident officer Romena Begum Rosi, Director of Shishu Kishore organization Usha Nighat Sadia also attend the procession.