Hifazat attacked to kill: Kabir

Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee has alleged that supporters of Hifazat-e Islam had attacked their rally in Dhaka on Saturday with ‘a motive of claiming lives’.

Kabir said the Hifazat supporters had used the Mohakhali route in a planned way only to attack their rally.

“They (Hifazat) would have killed me, if our supporters had not saved us,” he said.

“They would have also killed Muntasir Mamun,” he added. Prof Mamun had testified in a war crimes case against a Jamaat-e-Islami leader.

The radical group is said to be backed by the Jamaat.

Police and witnesses said supporters of the Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee started a rally at Mohakhali’s Amtoli crossing at around 9am amid announcement to thwart Hifazat’s long march and Motijheel rally.

Hifazat supporters attacked the Nirmul Committee activists from a procession.

"People from the Hifazat procession started pelting our supporters with brickbats. They came and smashed our chairs," said Nirmul Committee Vice President Prof Muntasir Mamun.

Mamun said the Hifazat supporters had attacked their supporters when they saw the banner of the Nirmul Committee. “A group of Hifazat’s hired men attacked us at the behest of the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami.”

Mamun said several of his organisation’s activists were injured in the attacks. Sub Inspector Emdad Hossian was also injured.

Anowarul Islam, a witness who resides at Amtoli, told bdnews24.com the Hifazat supporters had attacked without any provocation.

"Is it called Hifazat-e Islam?" he wondered.

He said the group's supporters not only vandalised the Nirmul Committee’s stage but also took away two mikes.

Another witness Tanvir Ahmed said around 200 people had gathered under the banner of Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee at the Amtoli crossing, and less than 100 policemen were deployed in the area.

He said slogans were raised demanding maximum penalty for ‘razakars’ as the procession was passing by. "This apparently prompted the procession to turn around and attack the Nirmul Committee stage. They hurled bottles, shoes and brickbats."

Sub Inspector Zakir Hossain of Banani Police Station told bdnews24.com the Hifazat supporters attacked ‘unprovoked’.

Shahriar Kabir claimed no one from the rally picketed. “The attack came after our boys chanted ‘Joy Bangla’ slogan.”

“Those who do not like Joy Bangla slogan should go to Pakistan,” he added.

He claimed the very existence of Bangladesh was at risk. “The country will be wiped [from the face of the world] if Jamaat is not outlawed,” he said.

Kabir asked why the government gave Hifazat permission to hold rally when it had imposed section 144 in Chittagong when Ganajagaran Mancha wanted to do the same thing.

He wondered what Bangladesh was turning into and said the whole nation will have to pay for it.

The Nirmul Committee leader alleged ‘hired goons’ of the Jamaat and its student front Islami Chhatra Shibir had perpetrated the attack.

Kabir had taken position at a nearby stall when Hifazat supports were passing through the area with processions. He was surrounded by his supporters and spoke to bdnews24.com there.

A large number of RAB and police personnel cordoned off the area after the attacks and the rally resumed at around noon.

The radical party is holding a rally in Dhaka to press for their 13-point demand. The BNP-led opposition alliance and Jatiya Party, a key ally of the ruling coalition, have expressed solidarity with the programme.