Uproar at November 7 discussion meeting in Joypurhat: Outrage over lack of Ziaur Rahman's picture on banner, DC apologizes, orders investigation
Md. Moannaf Hossain Shimul, Joypurhat
There has been intense discontent and uproar over the absence of a picture of martyred President Ziaur Rahman on the main banner of a discussion meeting marking the National Revolution and Solidarity Day in Joypurhat. BNP leaders and activists have expressed anger over the incident.
Later, the program was started by pasting pictures with costuming, but tension flared up again when a speaker addressed Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as 'Father of the Nation' and 'Bangabandhu'. The meeting, which ended in two rounds of uproar, resulted in the Deputy Commissioner expressing regret and apologizing and the chief guest ordered an investigation into the incident.
The discussion meeting was scheduled to be held at the District Shilpakala Academy on Saturday at 10 am, organized by the district administration. However, as the main banner did not have a picture of martyred President Ziaur Rahman, the chief guest, State Minister for Public Administration and Food Abdul Bari, did not take the stage and the program could not begin.
Later, the Deputy Commissioner and other officials went to the stage, lowered the banner, and pasted a poster with Ziaur Rahman's picture onto the banner with a costuming process, before the State Minister came on stage. As a result, the program started about half an hour after the scheduled time.
During the discussion meeting, Maruf Hasan, the general secretary of the Joypurhat municipal branch of the Zia Parishad, addressed Sheikh Mujibur Rahman as 'father of the nation' and 'Bangabandhu' several times in his speech, creating tension in the meeting venue. At that time, the district Chhatra Dal president AKM Golam Mahfuz Shuvo, Islam got agitated and rushed towards the dias and later the speaker was removed from the dias.
Leaders and activists of the District Chhatra Dal, District Jubo Dal, Volunteer Dal, and Krishak Dal protested against this incident.
Deputy Commissioner Al-Mamun Mia said that the banner was made by collecting images from the internet. However, he apologized to everyone at the event for this mistake.
State Minister for Public Administration and Food Abdul Bari expressed his deep anger over the various irregularities and incidents at the venue. He directed the Deputy Commissioner and District Council Administrator to take legal action after investigating whether the entire matter was intentional or not.
District BNP Joint Convener MA Wahab and District Council Administrator and District BNP Joint Convener Masud Rana Pradhan expressed their anger and said that this day is being celebrated after a long 19 years, but making banners without Shaheed Zia's picture is very painful and an expression of the conspiracy of the fascist accomplices within the administration.
