'March for Insaaf' program begins from Banglabandha zero point
Photo: Agamir Somoy
The 'March for Insaaf' (March for Justice) program has commenced from the Banglabandha Zero Point in Tetulia, Panchagarh, the northern gateway of Bangladesh, organized by the Inqilab Mancho.
Aiming to honor martyrs and demanding justice, the organization announced a 36-day walking march covering the route from Banglabandha to Teknaf to push for their three-point charter of demands.
On Wednesday (October 7) at 11:00 AM, the convener of Inqilab Mancho, Sharif Abdullah Al Jaber, inaugurated the foot march from Banglabandha Zero Point.
The program began with prayers and supplications at the site, after which activists from Inqilab Mancho set off on the march, distributing leaflets detailing their demands to local residents and workers in the port area.
According to the organizers, participants plan to walk approximately 20 kilometers each day. On the first day, the itinerary involves covering nearly 21 kilometers from Banglabandha to Tetulia, where the day's leg will conclude. Along the way, leaflets will be distributed across various local markets to raise public awareness.
The three-point demands declared by Inqilab Moncho are:
Ensuring justice for the murder of martyr Sharif Osman Hadi.
Implementing the July Charter in light of the public mandate from the referendum.
Ensuring trial and justice for the massacres at Shapla Chattar, Pilkhana, and during the July uprising, alongside extraditing those involved currently hiding in India to face legal proceedings.
A 30-member delegation led by Convener Abdullah Al Jaber, along with local participants, joined the march.
As planned, the 'March for Insaaf' will traverse through Tetulia and various districts across the country before reaching Teknaf by December. Following the march, the organization has announced a grand rally at Shahbagh in Dhaka on December 18.
In his opening address, Abdullah Al Jaber stated that nearly 10 months have passed since the murder of martyr Sharif Osman Hadi, yet no clear statement or progress has been delivered by the government regarding those masterminding the killing. He demanded that those directly involved be extradited from India and brought to justice by December.
Jaber alleged that India has played a role in various killings and instances of violence within Bangladesh. However, he clarified that Inqilab Mancho's stance is not directed against any specific nation, but rather against foreign hegemony. He affirmed that the platform would resist any external state attempting to establish dominance over Bangladesh.
He urged the government to treat the murder of Sharif Osman Hadi not as an isolated crime, but as a critical matter tied directly to Bangladesh's national sovereignty and independence, calling for an expedited investigation and trial. Furthermore, he reiterated the demand for accountability regarding the killings at Shapla Chattar, Pilkhana, and July, alongside the immediate execution of the July Charter and the referendum outcome.
Leaders of Inqilab Mancho said that their peaceful agitation will persist until their demands are met. The march aims to build public support while urging authorities to take swift action. The convener warned that if there are delays in fulfilling these demands or attempts to derail the movement, a resistance would be formed alongside the general public.
