BNP on Friday recalled the sacrifice of slain Jubo Dal activist Raja Ahmed Shaon for democracy by holding a gayebana namaz-e-janaza in the capital.
The gayebana janaza – funeral prayers in absence of the body- was held in front of BNP Nayapaltan central office after Juma prayers with the participation of several hundred leaders and activists of the party.
In a brief address prior to the janaza, party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said police shot dead Shaon in Narayanganj on Thursday after recently killing Noor-e-Alam and Abdur Rahim in Bhola in the same way.
“We had programmes to mark BNP’s founding anniversary, not against the government. But the government’s police force opened fire in many places across the country during our peaceful programmes. Shaon embraced martyrdom in Narayanganj,” he said.
Read:Gunning down Shaon amounts to killing democracy: Fakhrul
Stating that Shon sacrificed his life for the sake of democracy and the people’s rights, the BNP leader said it cannot go in vain.
“His sacrifice will make us stronger and encourage us to intensify the struggle that we started for the restoration of democracy and (unconditional) release of our leader Begum Khaleda Zia. We’ll peacefully involve people of the country in this struggle and we’ll achieve victory through the movement on the streets,” he observed.
Fakhrul said their party will always remember Shaon’s sacrifice. “We’ll turn our grief into strength to defeat them (govt) by uniting all the political and democratic forces. Let us all pray for the salvation of the departed soul of Shaon.”
Referring to his visit to Shaon’s Narayanganj house, Fakhrul alleged that his body was buried at 2am amid the presence of police instead of handing it over to his family. “None of his party colleagues, family members and friends were allowed to attend his Namaz-e-Janaza.”
He said Awami League has been trying to establish a one-party rule by resorting to enforced disappearance and murders since it came to power. “They want to eliminate the opposition parties. In particular, they want to eliminate BNP and its leaders, including Khaleda Zia.”
Earlier on Thursday, the party announced a two-day programme, including the gayebana janaza for Friday, in protest against the killing of Shaon and attacks on the party’s 44th founding anniversary programmes in different parts of the country.
Read:BNP vows to avenge blood of its slain workers by ousting the govt
Besides, the party hoisted black flags atop its all offices across the country.
BNP will also stage demonstrations in all cities and district towns across the country on Saturday.
On Thursday, Jubo Dal activist Shaon was killed and 50 people were reportedly injured in a clash between police and the BNP activists in Narayanganj as the law enforcers tried to prevent local BNP leaders and activists from holding a rally marking its founding anniversary.
Source: United News of Bangladesh