Gonojagoron Mancha Movement in Bangladesh

The spirit of victory remains all around

by Anwar A. Khan-Feb 5, 2019

Feb 4, 2019
This year on 5 February will be the 6th anniversary of Gonojagoron Mancha
Movement (National Awakening Stage) in Bangladesh. The Grand Alliance under
the leadership of Sheikh Hasina, the Modern Day Joan of Arc, won the election
held on 29 December 2008 with a two-thirds majority, based in part on its
promise to prosecute alleged war criminals. On 29 January 2009, the new
Parliament unanimously passed a resolution to prosecute the war criminals of
1971.
In our country, Bangladesh and in the world in general, or even in our lives, we do
not value things that come easy. Anything that we achieve as an outcome of
struggle or movement becomes invaluable to us. How can we forget the popular
movement of Ganojagoron Mancha for death punishment of 1971 war criminals
in Bangladesh? The movement commenced on 5 February 2013 and it is a turning
point in Bangladesh’s history after our glorious Liberation War of 1971.
The Gonojagoron Mancha Movement is as if the sun breaks bright to the soil of
Bangladesh. The spring…The great awakening…A golden star in our hearts…The
victims and their family members too are human beings who deserve and
demand rights equal to those of the war criminals of 1971. Alas! It betided
differently; the convicted criminals only were given the right to appeal to the apex
court as per the ICT law for a further scrutiny of the war criminals. The appeal
right of the victims colossally ignored by the concerned Ministry. On 5th February,
2013, the scene exploded into the public eye when Kader Molla, the ‘Butcher of
Mirpur’ was awarded life imprisonment by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT)
instead of death punishment.
Without the Gonojagoron Manch Movemen, it was almost impossible to let the
worst war criminals walk to the gallows. A single event can awaken within us a
stranger totally unknown to us. It actually has honoured the victims and their
families who fell prey to the deadliest enemies during our glorious Liberation War
in 1971, Bangladesh, its national flag and people of all walks of life who fought
bravely with utmost patriotism to achieve Bangladesh. It ignited the veridical
spark to arouse the people and showed the right-angled pathname. After our
liberation war, nothing reminds us of an awakening more than this historic
movement.
Silence was a lie that screamed at the light then. Awakening will be sudden. The
Gonojagoron Manch Movement is the staggeringly gifted one for us. After pro-
longed time, we could recognise our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness. The deluge and the tree, when the hurricane swirled and spread its
deluge of dark evil onto the good green land of people in general gloated in
Bangladesh. The western skies reverberated with sorrowful accounts: The Tree
has fallen! The great trunk is smashed! The hurricane has left no life in the
tree! Has the tree really fallen? Never! Not with our red streams flowing forever,
not while the vino of our thorn limbs fed the thirsty roots, Bangladesh roots alive
tunneling deep, deep, into the land! When the tree rises up, the branches shall
flourish green and fresh in the sun; the laughter of the tree shall leaf beneath the
sun and birds shall return. Undoubtedly, the birds shall return. The birds shall
return!
Humanity, where were you thee? We were being slaughtered under your
watchful eyes, we were cold . . . cold . . . cold. We cringed. We cried. Humanity,
where were you? Why did you turn your face away? Why did you keep looking
the other way? We were here languishing in Bangladesh’s alleyways during our
Independence War in 1971. Humanity, where were you then? Look at us? See us?
Humanity, enough turning the other way! Turning a deaf ear; turning a blind eye
while we and our poor people died unmercifully.
Our path is called Justice . . . and now we must walk it, and stoutly avow to follow
wherever it leads till the sun sets blaze to the weeds… We announce what comes
after us; we announce mightier offspring, orators, days, and then, for the present,
depart. We remember we said, before our leaves sprang at all, we would raise our
voice jocund and strong, with reference to consummations. We announce natural
persons to arise; we announce justice triumphant; we announce uncompromising
liberty and equality; we announce the justification of candor, and the justification
of pride. We announce a life that shall be copious, vehement, spiritual, and bold;
we announce an end that shall lightly and joyfully meet its translation; we
announce myriads of youths, beautiful, gigantic, sweet-blooded; and we
announce a race of splendid people. An unknown sphere, more real than we
dreamt, more direct, darts awakening rays about us – So long 42 years!
Remember our words—we may again return, we love you—Bangladesh; we
depart from materials; we are as one disembodied, triumphant, dead. An Autumn
Sunbright! We leaguered in fire; the wild black promontories of the coast extend;
their savage silhouettes; the sun in universal carnage sets, and, halting higher, the
motionless storm-clouds mass their sullen threats, like an advancing mob in
sword-points penned, that, balked, yet stands at bay. Mid-zenith hangs the
fascinated day in wind-lustrated hollows crystalline, a wan Valkyrie whose wide
pinions shine across the ensanguined ruins of the fray, and in her hand swings
high overhead above the waste of war, the silver torch-light of the evening star
wherewith to search the faces of the dead.
Lagooned in gold, seem not those jetty promontories rather; the outposts of
some ancient land forlorn, uncomforted of morn, where old oblivions gather; and
the melancholy un-consoling fold of all things that go utterly to death. And mix no
more, no more with life’s perpetually awakening breath? Shall time not ferry us to
such a shore over such sail-less seas to walk with hope’s slain importunities in
miserable sufferings? Nay, shall not all things be there forgot save the sea’s
golden barrier and the black close-crouching promontories? Dead to all shames,
forgotten of all glories, shall we not wander there, a shadow’s shade, a spectre
self-destroyed, so purged of all remembrance and sucked back into the primal
void? That should we, on that shore phantasmal meet we should not know the
coming of our feet? In the night of weariness, let us give ourselves up to sleep
without struggle resting our trust upon thee. Let us not force our flagging spirit
into a poor preparation for thy worship. It is thou who drawest the veil of night
upon the tired eyes of the day to renew its sight in a fresher gladness of
awakening of National Awakening Stage of 2013.
The Gonojagoron Mancho movement means a platform for popular uprising or
mass awakening platform. It’s a real song…The movement experienced external
threats from extremist forces such as Jamaati men and their buddies, and as a
result, the group has become less politically active than the widespread
mobilisation seen during February to March-April 2013 and January 2014. The
spontaneous movement initially aimed to non-violently build popular support for
a harsher sentence for Kader Mollah, a notorious war criminal in accordance with
the penal code, and that it has focused on nationalism and patriotism. The
demonstrations were called the biggest mass mobilisation in recent memory in
Bangladesh by both the local and foreign media outlets. The Gonojagoron
Moncho or Shahbag demonstrations in early February 2013 were as peaceful and
included candle-light vigils, large-scale gatherings, theatre, poetry recitations,
national songs and nationalistic speeches.
In the wake of the Gonojagoron Mancho protests, the governing Awami League
amended the respective ICT law in the parliament and incorporated the appeal
provision for the victims to that flawed law. On hearing appeal from the victims’
side, the Supreme Court overturned the life sentence awarded by the ICT and
ordered that Molla be put to death. Following the 28 February 2013 guilty verdict
and death sentence of the Jamaat party vice-president Molla, sub-humans-Jamaat
protesters held demonstrations that led to clashes with Gonojagoron Moncho
supporters. The unrest resulted in the deaths of protesters, bystanders, and
police officers, numbering in the dozens.
Three Gonojagoron Moncho activists were killed in different regions across
Bangladesh: Prominent blogger Rajib Ahmed Haider was attacked and killed in
February 2013. Gonojagoron Mancho is also known platform for popular rising
mass growing platform.
In a speech on 8 February 2013, the spokesman of the Gonojagoron Moncho
conducted an oath to the crowds of protesters at the Shahbag inter-section,
which stated objectives related to the continuation of the movement for capital
punishment for those on trial for crimes against humanity committed in 1971. The
objectives of the Gonojagoron Moncho also included: Commitment to a
democratic Bangladesh, where religion is considered a private matter; boycotting
of businesses, banks, media outlets, social and cultural entities connected to
Jamaat; called for an investigation into the sources of funding of Jamaat and
associated institutions and businesses; ban on the politics of religious
fundamentalists or the politics of Jamaat-Shibir; and achieving their goals without
violence.
The group’s demands more broadly promote accountable governance and it has
opened up the space for debate in society. Gonojagoron Moncho obtained
support from all sectors and classes of society initially, and the movement
exposed internal tensions and debates about secularism and religion in politics,
the culture of impunity that is part of the political process in Bangladesh, as well
as the meaning of communal harmony in society.
The Bloggers and Online Activists Network (BOAN) is the group in Bangladesh that
initiated Gonojagoron Mancho protests through online networking and social
media. The spokesman for the Gonojagoron Moncho, Imran H. Sarkar who is the
main organiser of BOAN. It has been referred to as an umbrella platform of
apolitical organisations. The group is not an organised political party or grouping
in any traditional sense, but rather that at its height, the movement was a
coalition of loose networks, associations, and individual actors though there are
core networks.
Participants in the initial Gonojagoron Mancho protests numbered hundreds of
thousands. The movement can be described the movement as initiated by youth,
with hundreds of thousands of supporters including men, women, boys, and girls
from all walks of life and citizens irrespective of age and faith. Youth and people
from various professions including university teachers, students, cultural and
political activists, journalists and bloggers joined this movement of protests. A
noted aspect of the movement has been the participation of large numbers of
women. Shahbag Square in Dhaka is described as the centre of the movement.
Support for the movement has soon spread across the country. The movement
uses social networking to organise support.
The organisers of Gonojagoron Mancho Movement have refused to allow the
participation of any political parties in the speeches or activities of the
movement. A prominent Gonojagoron speaker stated publicly at a rally that “’this
movement does not belong to any political party.” The movement involves sit-ins
and a programme to occupy Shahbag before the verdicts for those on trial for war
crimes, including a sit-in related to the verdict of the 90-year old Jamaat leader
Ghulam Azam in July 2013. On 17 July in that year, both Jamaat and Gonojagoron
Mancha called simultaneous hartals (day-long strikes) which led to 4 deaths and
100 injuries. In mid-August 2013, Gonojagoron Moncho conducted a procession
march and rally to protest a hartal held by Jamaat and to pay tribute to
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Three Gonojagoron Mancho activists were killed in different regions across
Bangladesh: Prominent blogger Rajib Ahmed Haider was attacked and killed in
February 2013. Gonojagoron Moncho is also known platform for popular rising
mass growing platform. It began on 6 February 2013 at Shahbag square. It refers
to the Shahbag mass protest and social Movement. It demands for the death
consequence for those found guilty of war crimes in the Bangladesh war of
independence from Pakistan in 1971.
The movement’s demands included the arrest of Jamaat-Shabbier activists and
banning of the Jamaat party. Some of which were peaceful and some of which
caused in violence, including in a few cases the deaths of police officers beaten by
Hefazet activists, and in many cases, the use of extreme force by security forces
resulting in the killing of many people. Fiery band sloganeer young girl activist
Lucky Akhter has emerged as junior “Agni-kannaya’ (the junior daughter of fire)
after Agricultural Minister Matia Chowdhury, has always captivated the audience
by her skyrocket patriotic slogans. Ganajagoron Mancha has announced its
decision to continue the sit-in at Shahbagh until Quader Molla’s death sentence is
executed. Activists blocked the Shahbagh intersection from 10:50 pm in demand
for the execution, and crowds began gathering since 7pm in anticipation of the
verdict, bursting into protests when the news of the death sentence arrived.
Spokesperson of the Ganajagoron Mancha Imran H Sarker said, “The Rajakars do
not deserve any mercy.” He urged everyone to join the sit-in until the verdict is
executed. This was happening in a country for which many people of all walks of
life of our society fought by ignoring families and personal life, for months. They
have fought to free Bangladesh from the hostility of far rights and Pakistani
military junta and their brutal local henchmen in 1971. As a generation of
participating in 1971 war, I ought to think how meaningless the fight of liberation
has become under the ignominious regimes of Zia, Ershad and voyeur politician
like Begum Zia. It is possible to rebuild a secular state only if the government
recognises its responsibility to identify the network of fanatics and prosecute the
criminals, including those that hide under the banner of different noms de guerre.
Protesters considered Mollah’s sentence too lenient, given his crimes. Bloggers
and online activists called for additional protests at Shahbag. Tens of thousands of
people joined the demonstration, which gave rise to protests across the country.
A counter-protest, questioning the validity of the tribunal and the protest
movement and demanding release of those accused and convicted, was launched
by Jamaat-e-Islami as its leaders were the majority of those first identified for
trial. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) expressed its support for Jamaat-e-
Islami, a political ally of them.
On 27 February 2013, the tribunal convicted Delwar Hossain Sayeedi of war
crimes and sentenced him to death. Jamaat followers protested and there were
violent clashes with police. About 60 people were killed in the confrontations;
most were Jamaat-Shibir activists, and others were police and civilians. In 1971
Bangladesh was the portion of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan known as East
Pakistan. In the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh, the-then East Pakistan fought
West Pakistan for nine months. During this period the Indian Army which
provided guerrilla training to Mukti Bahini (Freedom Fighters), joined the war on 3
December 1971 in support of the liberation of former East Pakistan, now
Bangladesh. The deadliest war ended on 16 December 1971 through surrender of
the Pakistani Armed Forces to joint forces of Bangladesh and India, resulting in
the formation of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh as a secular and
independent state.
According to the famous Blood telegram from the United States consulate in
Dhaka to the US State Department, many atrocities had been committed by the
Pakistan Army and its supporter Al-Badar , Al-Shams…militia. Time Magazine
reported a high-ranking US official as saying, “It is the most incredible, calculated
killing since the days of the Nazis in Poland.” Three million people were perished,
nearly a quarter of a million women were raped and more than ten million people
fled to India to escape persecution.
People of all strata of Bangladesh supported the clarion call of Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to create a free and independent Bangladesh during the
Liberation War. However, Pakistani supporters and members of Islamic political
parties, particularly Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) and its student wing Islami Chatra
Sangha (ICS), the Muslim League, the Pakistan Democratic Party (PDP) and Nejam-
e-Islami, collaborated with the Pakistani army to resist the formation of an
independent Bangladesh. The students belonging to Islami Chatra Sangha were
known as the Al-Badr force; people belonging to Jamaat-e-Islami, Muslim League,
Nizam-e-Islami and similar groups were called Al-Shams, and the Urdu-speaking
people (generally known as Biharis) were known as Al-Mujahid. All these butchers
went on rampage with all ferocities to murder the freedom-loving people of
Bangladesh.
Since 2000, there has been growing demands in Bangladesh for justice related to
war crimes committed during the 1971 struggle; and the issue was central to the
2008 general election. The Awami League-led, 14-party Grand Alliance included
this issue in its election manifesto. Its rival, four-party alliance (which included the
BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami) had several leaders alleged to have committed war
crimes.
The government intended to use the 1973 law: the International Crimes
(Tribunals) Act. It worked to amend the law, updating it and incorporating in it
other nations’ experience. The amendments provided the legal basis, though
there were some legal flaws to it, for the trial of individuals and political parties
that had committed war crimes during Bangladesh liberation war in 1971.
On 25 March 2010, the Awami-led government announced the formation of a
three-member tribunal, a seven-member investigation agency, and a twelve-
member prosecution team to conduct the trials under the ICT Act 1973. The panel
of three judges included Fazle Kabir and Zahir Ahmed, with Mohammed Nizamul
Huq as chairman. Abdul Matin, Abdur Rahim, Kutubur Rahman, Shamsul Arefin,
Mir Shahidul Islam, Nurul Islam and M. Abdur Razzak Khan were appointed to
assist the state prosecutors. Golam Arif Tipu was named Chief Prosecutor. Others
prosecutors were Syed Rezaur Rahman, Golam Hasnayen, Rana Das Gupta,
Zahirul Huq, Nurul Islam Sujan, Syed Haider Ali, Khandaker Abdul Mannan,
Mosharraf Hossain Kajal, Ziad Al-Malum, Sanjida Khanom and Sultan Mahmud
Semon.
A formal charge was filed by the prosecution against the ‘Butcher of Mirpur’
Abdul Quader Mollah on 18 December 2011. He was charged with: The Pallab
murder; killing pro-liberation poet Meherunnesa, her mother and two brothers;
the Khandoker Abu Taleb killing; the Ghatar Char and Bhawal Khan Bari killings;
the Alubdi mass killing (344 people); and the rape and murder of Hazrat Ali and
his family. On 5 February 2013, the ICT found Mollah guilty of crimes against
humanity. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for the Alubdi and Ali killings
and 15 years each for the Pallab, Meherunnesa and Taleb murders. The day
before the verdict was announced, look at the temerity of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-
Islami (of which Mollah was a leader), announced a nationwide dawn-to-dusk
general strike for 5 February in protest of their leader’s conviction.
Many citizens especially young people were outraged that, given his crimes,
Mollah was sentenced to life imprisonment rather than death. The verdict was
criticised in social media, and a peaceful demonstration began at Shahbagh
Square in Dhaka. Thus Ganajagoron Mancha came into being. Protesters’
demands: Death penalty for Mollah; death sentences for those convicted of war
crimes by the International War Crimes Tribunal; a ban of Jamaat from
Bangladeshi politics; and a boycott of Jamaat institutions.
The Ganajagoron Mancha leaders swore an oath “that the leadership of the mass
of people from the Gonojagaran Mancha (National Awakening Stage) will
continue the movement from Teknaf to Tetulia until capital punishment is handed
down to those Razakar and Al-Badr members who committed crimes against
humanity like mass killing and rape in 1971. We take the oath that we will remain
vocal, both on the streets and online, until the politics of the war criminals,
Jamaat and Shibir, is banned and the citizenship of their members cancelled. We
further take the oath that we will continue this demonstration and keep
demanding trials, under a special tribunal, of those Razakars and Al-Badr activists
who were convicted, and under trial, but freed after 1975. We swear that we will
boycott the war criminals’ business entities – Islami Bank, Ibn Sina, Focus, Retina
and various other coaching centres. We know through these they collect money
to continue with their anti-liberation activities. We will also boycott the academic
and cultural organisations through which they are spreading anti-liberation
sentiments among the children. In brief, we will work for banning all the business,
social and cultural organisations belonging to Razakars and Al-Badr activists. We
swear that we will continue with our demand for stringent punishment of Jamaat
and Shibir, who have committed crimes of sedition by threatening civil war, after
making their immediate arrest by recognising them through video footage of
news and newspaper pictures. We swear that we will boycott war criminals’ mass
media like Diganta Television, Daily Naya Diganta, Amar Desh, The Daily Sangram,
Sonar Bangla Blog. We will not subscribe to the newspapers of the war criminals
at any office or house. At the same time, we request the pro-liberation mass
media to boycott the war criminals and their accomplices.”
Protest began right after the verdict of Kader Molla, the ‘Butcher of Mirpur’ was
announced. Student organisations started the protest immediately after the
Judgment in the Shahbag square that was the actual call for people to gather in
the Shahbag square within half an hour of the Judgment. It took half an hour to
spread out the call for protest through different social media and later the
satellite TV channels. Some other social and cultural organisations called for
different programmes in the same venue who later worked together.
Demonstrators gathered at Shahbag Circle; they painted murals on the road, drew
cartoons, hanged effigies of war-crimes criminals and chanted slogans, with a vow
to continue demonstrating until their demands were met. Protesters at night
were chanting and holding torches in support of their call.
On 7 February 2013, demonstrations began at 8 am at Shahbag Square.
Thousands of people gathered with banners, posters, Bangladesh’s flags and
placards in Shahbag with their demands. On Friday afternoon, a mass rally was
held at Shahbag with an estimated attendance of more than half a million. On 12
February 2013, protesters observed three minutes of silence at 4 pm at Shahbagh
and all across Bangladesh. In Dhaka, traffic was stopped as thousands of people
took to the streets, formed human chains and stood in silence. A Bangladesh
Premier League game at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium halted for three
minutes, as players and supporters observed the silence. Parliamentarians and
the police also joined the protest. Bengali singer Kabir Suman wrote a song
entitled “Tin Minit” (“Three Minutes”) in honour of the silent protest.
Further developments: On 21 February in the same year, International Mother
Language Day, the number of protesters reached a new height. Its leadership
declared 26 March 2013, the Independence Day of Bangladesh, as the deadline
for the government to ban Jamaat-e-Islami from politics. The government did not
ban Jamaat-e-Islam from politics after the deadline was over. Seven protesters
calling themselves the Shaheed Rumi Squad began a fast until death on 26 March
at 10:30 pm in front of the National Museum, protesting inadequate government
action to ban Jamaat in response to the Shahbagh protesters’ ultimatum. The
fasters said at a press briefing that they would send an open letter to Prime
Minister Hasina during the 100th hour of their protests. More than 100
organisations expressed solidarity with the hunger strikers.
Sentencing of Delwar Hossain Sayeedi: On 28 February the International Crimes
Tribunal sentenced Delwar Hossain Sayeedi, Nayeb-e-Ameer (vice-president) of
Jamaat-e-Islami, to death for convictions on 8 out of 20 charges of war crimes
and crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation
War. The protesters celebrated the sentence. Jamaat rogue followers were
enraged by the decision, faithlessly claiming that the case against Sayeedi was
politically motivated. Jamaat quickly called for a nationwide two-day strike, to
start on 3 March. By afternoon, violence led by Jamaat-e-Islami supporters had
erupted across Bangladesh. By the end of the day thirty-five people were dead,
including three police officers; and an additional eight hundred were injured.
According to the BBC, it marked “the worst day of political violence in Bangladesh
in decades.”
Clashes between police and Jamaat-e-Islami workers continued on 1 March,
spreading to the northern districts of Gaibandha and Chapai Nawabganj…
Opposition leader Khaleda Zia criticised in a deceiving manner government
brutality and Jamaat called for a demonstration in the capital, Dhaka. Security
measures were increased to prevent the situation from escalating. The death toll
rose to forty-four including six policemen. Former prime minister and BNP Chief
Khaleda Zia declared a nationwide dawn-to-dusk hartal for 5 March, and called for
countrywide rallies on 2 March to protest what she called government misrule,
oppression, and mass killings to save the world’s most deadly war criminals.
On 3 March 2013, violence continued as the Jamaat-organised strike began.
Jamaat supporters singled out Hindu citizens, attacked their homes in many parts
of the country, and torched Hindu temples. More than 40 temples and many
statues were destroyed and scores of houses set ablaze, leaving hundreds of
people homeless throughout the country.
The Islamist pressure group Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh largely dominated by
Jamaat-e-Islami murderers, has accused falsely several protesters of the
Shahbagh of lampponing Muhammad, and making pornographic depictions of
him. Large crowd with banners appeared in street and assembled for protest in
front of Chittagong Press Club against their heinous acts. The Shahbag protest has
attracted people from all social strata to its just cause. The Shahbag intersection
at the center of the protests has been referred to as “Generation Circle” (Bengali:
Projônmo Chôttor) or “Shahbag Square.” The protest spread from Shahbag to
other parts of the country, with sit-ins and demonstrations throughout the
country.
The-then State Minister for Law, Quamrul Islam, said that the verdict against
Abdul Quader Mollah could have been different if people had not taken to the
streets sooner. The government is planning to file appeals with the Supreme
Court contesting the sentence for Mollah. On 11 February the Cabinet approved
proposed amendments to the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act 1973,
introducing a provision for plaintiffs to appeal verdicts handed down by the
tribunal. This amendment enabled the state to appeal Mollah’s life sentence to
turn it into death sentence.
Jamaat-e-Islami, which was already staging protests against the impending trial of
its leaders, called for a general strike. It continues to demand that the
international war crimes tribunal be stopped and its party leaders freed. Jamaat
supporters had staged nationwide demonstrations with increasing frequency
from November 2012 to February 2013, demanding the release of its leaders.
Actions included firing gunshots, smashing and setting fire to vehicles and
detonating homemade bombs. Violence was targeted at police stationed in the
capital, Dhaka, and major cities. Several Jamaat-Shibir activists were arrested
during the strikes and confrontations with police.
Semicircle of demonstrators held candlelight vigil in many overseas countries
against the JeI goons and their accomplices. Bangladesh’s people abroad have
expressed solidarity with the protests through social media websites Facebook
and Twitter. Demonstrations of solidarity have also taken place in Australia,
Malaysia, Germany, and the United States in support of the just cause of
Ganajagoron Mancha movement. At a rally at the Angel Statue in Melbourne,
demonstrators signed a petition to Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
demanding death for war criminals. Bangladesh’s people in Taiwan also expressed
their solidarity with the Shahbag protests on 10 February 2013. Facebook also had
played an important role in spreading news worldwide about events at
Shahbag. A Facebook event was created calling for a protest at Shahbag; and the
human chain which went viral on 5 February 2013. Facebook was one of the main
sources of information about Shahbag protest among its activists. Bangladeshis
used the Twitter hashtag “#shahbag” to provide live updates of the movement.
On 10 February, Bangladesh’s students gathered at Rutgers University in New
Jersey to express solidarity with the Shahbag protests. Bangladesh’s students at
the University of Delaware and nearby residents demonstrated their solidarity
with the Shahbag movement on 15 February at a busy intersection in Newark,
Delaware. A candlelight vigil was held that evening for Rajib, a blogger and activist
who was killed several hours before the demonstration.
The movement leaders sworn that “they will boycott the war criminals’ business
entities – Islami Bank, Ibn Sina, Focus, Retina and various other coaching centres.
We know through these they collect money to continue with their anti-liberation
activities. We will also boycott the academic and cultural organisations through
which they are spreading anti-liberation sentiments among the children. In brief,
we will work for banning all the business, social and cultural organisations
belonging to Razakars and Al-Badr activists.”
International response: On 18 February 2013 British Foreign Office minister
Sayeeda Warsi hailed the Shahbag Square protests, describing them as peaceful,
productive and non-violent.
Media coverage: In Sreemangal, Moulvibazar cable operators in solidarity with
the protests have stopped broadcasting the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami television
channel Diganta Television. Protesters in a crowd were holding up English-
language poster. Protester showed placards to foreign media. The BBC, CNN,
Yahoo! News, Reuters, Al Jazeera, The New York Times, The Independent and
others have published stories on the protests; BBC Bangla has been closely
following the events. Reuters photographer Andrew Biraj published “live” photos
of mass demonstrations at Shahbag.
Outcome: On 11 December 2013 demand for quick execution of ‘Butcher’ Molla.’
The demonstration put pressure on the government to amend the International
Crimes Tribunal Act so war criminals “can be swiftly executed if convicted”. The
cabinet also set a 60-day limit for the Supreme Court’s Appellate Division to rule
on appeals, to keep the cases moving. This means that those who have been
convicted and sentenced to death could be executed that year if their verdicts
survived appeal. In response to popular protests, former Jute and Textiles
Minister Abdul Latif Siddiqui said on 12 February that a bill was being drafted to
ban Jamaat-e-Islami from Bangladeshi politics. On 17 September 2013,
Bangladesh Supreme Court found Abdul Quader Molla guilty of murders and
other war crimes and ordered his execution and executed him on 12 December
2013.
Timeline 2013:
February 5 – Abdul Quader Molla is sentenced to life imprisonment. Initial
gathering of protesters in Shahbag Square (also known as Shahbag Circle) took
place.
February 6–7 – Protests intensify, crowds grew bigger, other cities and towns
picked up protest. Bangladeshi diaspora and student communities abroad also
begin to express solidarity with the protest.
February 8 Friday – Hundreds of thousands attended afternoon rallies in Shahbag
and nationwide. The prominent figures of the country addressed the crowds.
February 9–10 – Protest continued countrywide.
February 12 – 3-minute silence was observed in Shahbag and all across the
country. JeI students’ wing, Shibir attempted to disrupt with a mid-day rally which
quickly turned violent as they used guns and bombs against police.
February 15 – Protester and blogger Ahmed Rajib Haider was killed. Haider had
actively participated in the protest from the beginning and had written several
blogs against Jamaat-e-Islami activities.
February 16 – Thousands of people from all professions gathered at Shahbag
wearing black badges to show their respect on the death of Ahmed Rajib Haider.
By touching the coffin, protesters swear not to return home leaving their
demands unfulfilled.
February 17 – Various schools in Dhaka hoisted the national flag and sang the
national anthem to express solidarity with Shahbag protesters. The Shahbag
activists announced a grand rally to be held on February 21 and reiterated their
demand of death penalty for war criminals.
February 18 – The Shahbag protest continued for the 14th day. Khelafat Andolon
and Islami Oikya Jote demanded the death penalty for top bloggers (Omi Rahman
Pial, Ibrahim Khalil, Arif Jebtik and Asif Mohiuddin) of the ongoing Shahbag
movement for their strong stance against the baneful war criminals.
February 19 – British foreign office minister Baroness Sayeeda Warsi praised the
Shahbag Square protest, describing it as peaceful and productive. Shahbag
protesters vowed to spread their movement to the grassroots level by making
‘Gonojagoron Mancha’ (mass-upsurge stage) like Shahbagh square at every
corner of the country.
February 20 – A smear campaign against Shahbag activists, branding them as
atheist, anti-Islamic and anti-social elements by appealing to the religious
sentiments of the people and at the same time trying to brand Haider as an
atheist to justify his murder.
February 21 – After the movement ran for two weeks, with huge participation
from masses of people, in the grand rally at Shahbagh held on February 21, 2013
in the afternoon, Dr. Imran H Sarker presented six demands before the people. An
intelligence agency released a message to the news media and law enforcement
agencies which stated that some anti-state elements would try to carry out
destructive activities including suicide bomb attacks on places like Shahbag,
Shaheed Minar and Baitul Mukarram. Law enforcement agencies arrested several
Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and Shibir activists carrying explosives and planning to
attack Shaheed Minar.
February 22 – Shahbagh Ganajagaran Mancha called for nationwide protest just 1
day after calling off their demonstration at Shahbagh. This happened after Jamaat
activists went on a rampage in Dhaka city, clashing with police and attacking them
with bombs and stones. Jamaat activists destroyed the Sylhet Central Shaheed
Minar setting on fire the national flag of Bangladesh and flowers. Thousands of
students and people angered by this vandalism attacked and set fire to some
institutions owned by and linked to Jamaat-e-Islami in Sylhet city.
March 6 – The Shahbag protest has completed one month. What started from the
bloggers and online activists has turned into a mass uprising, spread across the
country to people from all walks of life, and among the expatriate Bangladesh’s
people.
The Gonojagoron Manch Movement or the National Awakening Stage Movement
is the biggest turning point in Bangladesh’s history. This very attempt to blot out
forever the stigma of non-bringing the war criminals of 1971 to justice for
decades and it may be one necessary link in the chain of events preparatory to
the complete overthrow of the whole non-trialing system of the mass murderers.
This movement served as a defining moment for those culprits to book and inflict
due punishment to them, and the movement soon emerged as the most
prominent one in the annuls of Bangladesh’s history.
Celebrated Educationist Prof Dr. Khan Sarwar Murshid once reminded us,
“Forgetting or forgetfulness is equivalent to perfidiousness.” We should celebrate
this great movement every year with due honour and admiration toward its
organisers and people who actively participated and supported this crusading
battle tending in the direction of a particular glorious goal-directed purposive.
Because of the Gonojagoron Manch Movement, we could lawfully try six beastly
animals and successfully executed them. And the trials are still going on to punish
the remaining worst war criminals of 1971. We salute the Gonojagoron Manch
Movement, its leaders, activists, people of all walks of life, PM Sheikh Hasina and
her the-then cabinet members on its 6th anniversary this year. Let us not force
our flagging spirit into a poor preparation for worship of the Gonojagoron
Mancha Movement. It is thou who draw the veil of night upon the tired eyes of
the day to renew its sight in a fresher gladness of National Awakening Stage of 5th
February of 2013. Grace, then, is grace, – that is to say, it is sovereign, it is free, it
is sure, it is unconditional, and it is everlasting. This song isn’t a song of
theology—it’s our own heartfelt expression of gratitude to this great movement
which betided six years back in Bangladesh. Long live the Gonojagoron Manch
Movement as a lighthouse for us all in Bangladesh.
-The End –
The writer is a senior citizen of Bangladesh, writes on politics, political and human-
centred figures, current and international affairs.
Posted by Thavam