Aminul Islam Mukul, London:
The current fascist Awami League government in Bangladesh has grossly violated human rights by committing genocide and repression against the anti-discrimination student movement. They have tried to cover up evidence of disappearances, killings, mass arrests, and torture by shutting down the internet and imposing a state of emergency. However, their true face has been exposed globally, including by the United Nations. When the entire nation is united in demanding the government’s resignation, the autocratic Sheikh Hasina has banned the democratic political parties Jamaat-e-Islami and Shibir with the sinister aim of diverting the people’s movement. The freedom-loving people have rejected these undemocratic actions with disdain. A national unity must be formed with the single demand of the government’s resignation, without falling into the traps set by the Awami League.
Speakers at a protest rally, organized by the Coalition for Peace and Justice in Bangladesh, said this last Friday at the historic Altab Ali Park in London.
The rally was chaired by Oli Ullah Noman, Executive Editor of Amar Desh newspaper, and jointly conducted by Shamsul Alam Golap, former Central Office Secretary of Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir, and Shahriar Alam Shipar, President of Sylhet Metropolitan. The chief guest was M.A. Malik, President of UK BNP. Special guests included Sirajul Islam Shaheen, former Secretary of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Sylhet Metropolitan, Shamsul Alam Liton, Editor of Saptahik Surma, Koyser Ahmed, Secretary of UK BNP, Ohid Ahmed, former Deputy Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Ashiqur Rahman, Vice-President of Sunamganj District BNP, and Abdullah Al Munim, former Sylhet District President of Shibir. The event began with a recitation from the Quran by Jamil Hossain.
Other notable attendees and speakers included Palestinian campaigner Sila Mancro of the Socialist Party, Sheila McGregor of Stand Up to Racism, Dr. Mujib, former teacher at Shahjalal University, Abdul Ali, advisor of Universal Voice for Human Rights, Zakir Ahmed Chowdhury, President of Universal Voice for Human Rights, Tarequl Islam, Vice-President of Stand for Bangladesh, Aminul Islam Mukul, General Secretary of Stand for Bangladesh, Zaynul Abedin, President of Online Activist Forum UK, Delwar Hossain, Vice-President of Online Activist Forum UK, Mahbub Ali Khansur, President of Equal Rights International, Rayhan Ahmed, Deputy Secretary of Safe Bangladesh UK, BNP leaders Abul Kalam Azad and Khairuzzaman Shipon, Shamim Ahmed, President of Ulama Dal, musician Rayhan Chowdhury, human rights activists Shahin Alam, Jamal Uddin, Ahmad Ali, Nizamuddin, Badrul Alam, and Abdur Rashid.
