Al-Badr force active again in a new format: Shah Alam
Photo: Agamir Somoy
Freedom fighter and veteran leftist leader Mohammad Shah Alam said the 1971 Al-Badr force has become active again in the field in a new format in the country.
He made these remarks on Tuesday afternoon at a human chain held under the banner of “Bikkhubdha Bir Muktijoddha-Chattogram” in front of the Chattogram Press Club.
The human chain was held in protest against the obstruction by Jamaat-Shibir during the funeral prayer and burial of freedom fighter Manik Pashari in Pirojpur.
Shah Alam added, “During the interim government, we saw shoe garlands placed around the neck of a freedom fighter. Yunus’s government did not bring justice. Instead, it indulged it. Now it is the era of an elected government. Now we see obstruction even in the burial of a freedom fighter.
“On one hand, the state is giving a guard of honor to the deceased freedom fighter. On the other hand, the perpetrators of 1971 are not allowing that freedom fighter to be buried. In an independent country, they are obstructing the burial of a freedom fighter. What audacity!”
Demanding to know where the successors of the 1971 perpetrators are getting the audacity to strike at the Liberation War, he noted, “In 1971, Jamaat-e-Islami formed the killing squad Al-Badr force. That squad took the best children of our country, the intellectuals, blindfolded in the darkness of night and shot them dead.
“Today, we are seeing that atrocity of the Al-Badr force again in a new format. Fifty-four years after the Liberation War, the successors of Al-Badr have again become active in the field in another form and another shape.”
Addressing Jamaat, Shah Alam said, “Do not show such arrogance just because you sat in the opposition benches after getting a few seats through the benevolence of the interim government. If the spirit of the Liberation War is struck, the country will burn anew. Stop playing with fire.
“I would tell the BNP, the party of freedom fighter Ziaur Rahman, to stand up against the conspiracy regarding the Liberation War. Regardless of party affiliation, all freedom fighters must come under one line today. The Al-Badr that has become active in a new format must be defeated again.”
Speaking as the chair at the human chain, Mahfuzur Rahman, chairman of the Liberation War Research Center, added, “Freedom fighters, wake up again. We have no fear of dying. In 1971, we defeated the fear of death. To implement the spirit of the Liberation War, today all of us must unite regardless of party opinions.
“The parties that have been in state power for 55 years since independence have done no work to implement the spirit of the Liberation War. Rather, they indulged those opposed to the spirit. Because of this, anti-independence forces have reared their heads again today. We must defeat this defeated force again.”
Ashok Saha, president of Chattogram District CPB, noted, “The people of this country are united on the question of the Liberation War. We received proof of this in the last parliamentary election. The opponents of the Liberation War came very close to power after receiving the favor of various forces.
“People united and defeated them through votes. Now again, the anti-Liberation War elements are showing arrogance, and common people must unite to stop them.”
Freedom fighters Udayan Nag, Mahbub Mintu, and Balagat Ullah, as well as Amal Kanti Nath, Convener of Udichi Chattogram District Sangsad, also spoke at the human chain. Following the human chain, the freedom fighters held a protest procession.
