United News of Bangladesh

Hundreds of Jahangirnagar University (JU) students staged a protest on campus on Tuesday night, condemning the killing of lawyer Saiful Islam in an attack allegedly by unruly sections of the Hindu community on Chattogram court premises. Saiful was killed during a clash between police and followers of former ISKCON leader Chinmoy Krishna Das in the Chattogram Court Building area. Around 500 students from various dormitories gathered at the Bot Tola area on campus and took out a procession around 8:20pm, marching through different campus roads. During the procession, students chanted slogans such as: “Hindu Muslim Bhai Bhai, Ugrobader Thai Nai; Bichar Bichar Bichar Chai, Saiful Hottar Bichar Chai” (Hindus and Muslims are brothers, there is no room for extremism; We demand justice for Saiful). The procession concluded in front of the Shaheed Minar on campus, where a brief rally was held. Speakers at the rally condemned the killing of Saiful and urged everyone to maintain communal harmony, resisting any attempts to provoke violence. They also called for ensuring the highest form of justice for the murder.

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader on Sunday said the killing of five workers of a power plant in police firing in Banshkhali upazila of Chattogram in the month of Ramadan is not acceptable. In a statement, he demanded the formation of a judicial probe committee to look into the incident and ensure proper legal action against the real offenders responsible for the clash and killing. Referring to media reports, GM Quader said the workers were protesting against the payment of arrears and fixing of working hours considering the time for iftar, sehri and tarabi during Ramadan. Also read: Police firing in Chattogram leaves five workers dead “It’s essential to find out why and under what circumstances the police had to open fire on the protesting workers. Such killings during the holy month of Ramadan cannot be accepted,” he said. The Jatiya Party chairman said reasonable compensation should be given to those killed and injured in the clash. He also called upon the authorities concerned to ensure proper treatment of the injured. GM Quader prayed for the salvation of the departed souls and convoyed his sympathy to the bereaved family members. Also read: Now Bangladesh ‘cannot be called a democratic country’: GM Quader On Saturday, five workers of an under-construction coal-fired power plant were killed and at least 25 others injured during a clash with police over the payment of their dues in Banshkhali upazila of Chattogram.