CPB condemns obstruction to burial of Sayeedi case complainant

The Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) has condemned the alleged obstruction to the burial of freedom fighter Manik Pashari and complications surrounding the provision of state honours to him. Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Chhatra Union, Bangladesh Jubo Union and Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigoshthi organised a torch procession and protest rally in the capital’s Paltan area on Sunday evening over the incident.

The CPB demanded a neutral investigation to identify those responsible and take effective legal action against them. At the Paltan programme, protesters chanted slogans calling for the protection of the spirit of the Liberation War, respect for freedom fighters and resistance to communal and fundamentalist politics.

In a statement issued on Sunday, CPB President Kazi Sazzad Zahir Chandan and General Secretary Abdullah Kafi Ratan condemned the incident.

The party leaders said freedom fighter Manik Pashari was the complainant and a prosecution witness in the case against Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee, who was convicted of crimes against humanity committed in 1971.

They said Pashari’s role in the judicial process concerning crimes against humanity committed during the Liberation War was significant in Bangladesh’s history.

Describing the alleged obstruction to his dignified burial as deeply concerning, the leaders said those who created a provocative situation surrounding the final farewell to a deceased person had no honourable intentions.

Issuing a warning to Jamaat-e-Islami over allegations that it obstructed the burial, the CPB leaders said the consequences would not be good if anyone crossed the line by showing disregard for the history of the Liberation War, the sacrifices of martyrs and the dignity of freedom fighters.

They also called on people to unite against such activities.

The CPB leaders said the Liberation War was the foundation of Bangladesh’s history. Protecting the dignity of the country’s independence and the sacrifices made to achieve it was a national responsibility.

They further said that questions concerning the history of the Liberation War, the trial of crimes against humanity and the roles of individuals involved must be addressed through evidence, law and appropriate institutional procedures.

It was unacceptable in a civilised and democratic society for any individual or group to exert social pressure, take the law into their own hands or obstruct a family from performing its customary religious rites, they added.

The party also called for an impartial investigation into the role of law enforcement agencies and whether the administration had fulfilled its responsibilities in a timely manner. It further urged the authorities to investigate why Pashari’s family had been left facing such uncertainty.

Expressing condolences to the bereaved family, the CPB leaders said ensuring a dignified final farewell for a deceased person and protecting the religious rights of their relatives were fundamental responsibilities of the state and society.

The statement also said that, apart from a handful of anti-liberation individuals and groups, all patriotic people stood beside the family of freedom fighter Manik Pashari.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Chhatra Union, Bangladesh Jubo Union and Bangladesh Udichi Shilpigoshthi organised a torch procession and protest rally in the capital’s Paltan area on Sunday evening.

Among those who addressed the rally were Udichi Shilpigoshthi General Secretary Amit Ranjan Dey, Jubo Union leader Khan Asaduzzaman Masum and other leaders.

Participants chanted various slogans, including “Insult to the Liberation War will not be tolerated in this land,” “We will not let the spirit of the Liberation War fade away” and “Let the weapon of 1971 roar once again.”

They also chanted slogans demanding a ban on the politics of Jamaat-e-Islami and Islami Chhatra Shibir.