Mir Afroz Zaman

It has been alleged that Rashed Khan Menon, one of the coordinators of the 14 parties of Bangladesh and the President of the Bangladesh Workers' Party, was kept in prison and subjected to terrible torture in the conspiracy and revenge Mirtha case. He will be produced before the International Crimes Tribunal on February 18 in a fabricated case, according to court sources.

The tribunal's charges state that during the mass uprising of the anti-discrimination student masses in Bangladesh from July 1 to August 5, former Prime Minister Awami League President Sheikh Hasina and her associates, former ministers of the Awami League and the then 14-party coalition government, along with leaders and activists of affiliated organizations, in order to maintain their authoritarian, fascist and totalitarian regime, the higher authorities and members of the law enforcement agencies, including members of the law enforcement agencies, used force, threw sound grenades, tear shells, and indiscriminately fired rubber bullets and Chinese rifles at peaceful processions and meetings, detained innocent unarmed people, tortured them, seriously injured them, and committed crimes against humanity, including murder.

The charges state that Rashed Khan Menon incited and incited the agitating student masses to commit crimes against humanity and genocide by calling them anti-independence and threatening to take action on behalf of the government.

And on July 19, the 14-party organizational decision was taken in a meeting and a nationwide curfew was decided, and from that meeting, the alleged decision to open fire on the student crowd during the curfew was given. After the meeting, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader publicly admitted to the media that "shoot a side" means that shooting will be done on sight. Rashed Khan Menon was present with Obaidul Quader at that time.

The complaint further states that from July 1 to August 5, 2024, in order to suppress the anti-discrimination and anti-quota student crowd movement, he took a stand for the then government and diverted the movement into a different direction, and his subordinates (party leaders and activists) filed a false case against the protesting student crowd, accusing innocent unarmed student crowds protesting all over Bangladesh, and subjected them to physical and mental torture and abuse.

It is said that on July 29, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held a meeting with the top leaders of the 14-party party at her official residence, Ganobhaban. In that meeting, Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon and Jasad President Hasanul Haque Inu advised former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to be stricter in suppressing the anti-discrimination student movement and to expand it nationwide. As a result, one and a half thousand innocent students of the anti-discrimination student movement lost their lives from July 1 to August 5.

The charge sheet of the case further states that, from July 1 to August 5, 2012, due to Rashed Khan Menon's provocative statements and incitement, crimes against humanity were committed in various police stations of the country including Tejgaon, New Market, Pallabi, Dhanmondi, Kotwali, Khilgaon, Badda, Motijheel, Mohammadpur, Rampura, Mirpur, Jatrabari in Dhaka district and various police stations of the country, and evidence has been found in the case that Rashed Khan Menon's involvement in the mentioned incident has been found. On December 17, 2012, the investigating officer of the case submitted a report to the tribunal. (Miss Case Number 3/2024).

Meanwhile, in a statement on Thursday, the leaders of the Central Steering Committee of the Left Democratic Alliance strongly condemned and protested the attack on Udichir's stall at the 21st Book Fair in Satkhira on Wednesday, the burning of banners, the attack on the Lalon Mela in Tangail and the closure, the brutal attack and inhuman torture by the police on the teachers' rally, and the attack on the book fair at Bangla Academy a few days ago, the closure of the book stall and the arrest of the owner.

Iqbal Kabir Zahid, coordinator of the Left Democratic Alliance and general secretary of the Revolutionary Communist League of Bangladesh, Mohammad Shah Alam, president of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), general secretary Ruhin Hossain Prince, general secretary of the Socialist Party of Bangladesh-Basader Bazlur Rashid Firoz, coordinator of the Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Marxist) Masud Rana, general secretary of the Democratic Revolutionary Party Mosherefa Mishu and executive president of the Socialist Party of Bangladesh Abdul Ali in a statement expressed strong anger and said that a group across the country is carrying out anti-human activities including vandalism of various establishments through mob violence to fulfill their nefarious objectives, but the government is not taking any action against it. Rather, from the government's position and statements, it can be assumed that these terrorist attacks are happening under the government's umbrella. In the statement, the leaders strongly condemned and protested the government's silent role in these unwanted and terrorist activities.

In the statement, the leaders further said that despite the concerns, anxiety and protests of various democratic political parties and various sections of society, the government is not taking any action against criminals and terrorists. Looking at the government's inactive state, it seems that these activities are supported or encouraged by the government. The leaders demanded an immediate end to all types of mob violence and the punishment of those involved, as well as the release of the arrested left leaders from the revenge cases.