The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement has demanded a ban on Awami League's politics from the Central Shaheed Minar. The movement’s convener, Hasnat Abdullah, stated, "We will either exist in this land, or Awami League will."
He made this remark on Wednesday (February 12) at around 9:15 PM during a procession carrying the coffin of Abul Kashem, a student killed in an attack in Gazipur, following his funeral prayers at the Central Shaheed Minar.
Hasnat Abdullah said, “Today, the Ayanaghar report has been published, the UN report on the uprising has been released, and today our brother has been martyred. The martyrdom of our revolutionary brother is our failure. We have not been able to ensure justice or ban Awami League until now.”
He further stated, “After August 5, we took control of this land. Either we will exist here, or Awami League will. Revolutionaries and Awami League cannot coexist in this country.”
Demanding a ban on Awami League from the interim government, he added, “We clearly urge the government to ensure the punishment of every leader and activist of Awami League as soon as possible and to ban Awami League.”
During the coffin procession, the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement chanted slogans such as: “Delhi or Dhaka, Dhaka Dhaka”, “Destroy Awami League’s base”, “My brother is in a coffin, why is the killer free?”, “Student-people’s action, direct action”, “Where will you go, killer Hasina?”, “Down with Mujibism, long live the revolution”, “We won’t let our brother’s blood go in vain”.
Secretary of the National Citizens’ Committee, Akhtar Hossain, said, “Six months after the uprising in Gazipur, our brother was hacked to death. We could do nothing. Seeing his body reminds us of the fascism of the past. The Awami League that martyred my brother has no right to do politics in this country. We pledge over his body to fight against Awami League with our last drop of blood.”
According to the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement's announced program, funeral prayers in absentia for Abul Kashem will be held in every district, upazila, union, and village across the country. Additionally, coffin processions demanding justice and a ban on Awami League will also take place.
