Dhaka, Dec 13 – A group of people vandalised The Daily Sangram’s office in Dhaka after the newspaper published a report describing as ‘a martyr’ Jamaat-e-Islami leader Abdul Quader Molla, who was hanged for war crimes. They also handed the editor, Abul Asad, to police on Friday evening after demonstration followed by the vandalism in Baro Moghbazar.
The protesters gathered outside the office of the newspaper, known as a Jamaat mouthpiece, under the banner of “Muktijuddho Mancha”, a pro-liberation platform.
“We can’t make compromises on independence and sovereignty. We will resist whoever speaks against the independence or the Liberation War,” Md Al Mamun, a leader of the platform, told journalists.
He said the Sangram office was used as a temporary facility by the Jamaat and its student front Islami Chhatra Shibir, citing documents found there.
“We showed the documents and handed the editor to the police. He then apologised unconditionally to the people,” Mamun said.
Mamun demanded cancellation of the newspaper’s declaration and threatened to stage more protests if the demand is not met within a day.
Abul was being quizzed at Hatirjheel Police Station, said Biplob Bijoy Talukder, a deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.
“Today is the sixth death anniversary of martyr Abdul Quader Molla,” was the headline of a report published on the front page of the newspaper on Thursday.
Before protesting outside the Sangram office, a group of activists of Bangladesh Chhatra League, the student front of the ruling Awami League, burnt copies of the newspaper in protest against the report.
“We are concerned about Bangladesh’s future because people, who can call war crimes convict a martyr, are still here. We must prevent them from poisoning our next generations,” BCL leader Rana Hamid said.
Former Jamaat assistant secretary general Quader Molla was hanged on Dec 12, 2013, after conviction by the International Crimes Tribunal.
