Revolutionary Council Conference: Relatives of July Uprising Victims Call for Death Sentence for Hasina

Family members of the students who were martyred in the July uprising in the capital’s Uttara yesterday demanded that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina be brought back to the country and hanged for killing her children.

They made the demand at a conference organized by the National Revolutionary Council, Chotrisher Shahoshini and Global Knowledge Foundation at Shaheed Mughda Mancha in Azampur, Uttara.

They also said the interim government had forgotten the martyrs as no one had contacted their families.

The police officers involved in the killings were not arrested while many of the accused were roaming freely, they claimed.

Martyr Shahriar Hasan Alvi’s father Abul Hasan said: “More than 2,000 of our children have been martyred. Only the families of the martyrs know what it is like to see the body of a son shot dead in front of their parents. Our tears will never cry.” However, in this situation, I was not allowed to buy the “Khatiya” used to carry the dead out of two mosques.

He said: “I would like to humbly request the counselors to stand by the family of the martyr and treat the injured. They should bring the murderers of our children to justice. Bring the murderer Sheikh Hasina back to the country and execute her.”

Ainun Nahar, mother of Shaheed Naima Sultana, who inaugurated the event, said: “I did not let my daughter go to the procession. I kept her at home. But even at home I couldn’t save my daughter.”

At one point, Ainun Nahar said, “I cannot hold back my tears when I see the police and think of how much pain they have caused my daughter.”

Martyr Mir Mugdho’s father Mir Mustafizur Rahman said: “The July Movement was originally a movement to assert rational rights. No democratic government can open fire on a rational movement. I hope this government will make the best possible arrangements for the treatment of the injured. “The killing of students should be met with justice by targeting the perpetrators.”

Shaheed Sifat Hasan’s father said, “My son Sifat was martyred on July 20 in Mirpur-10. This government cannot make up for the deaths of our children with money. We just want the murderers of our children brought to justice.”

Other family members of martyrs who spoke at the conference included Shaheed Sajjad Hossain Sajal’s mother Shahina Begum, Shaheed Zahiduzzaman Tanvin’s sister Jessica Zaman, Shaheed Shafiq Uddin Ahnaf’s mother Zartaj Parveen, Shaheed Ridwan Sharif Riyad’s younger sister Shimu Ahmed, Shaheed Raihan’s younger sister Swarna Akhter, Shaheed Saif Arafat Among others, Sharif’s sister Kamrunnahar, Shaheed Shahadat Hossain Shaon’s father Bashir Alam, Shaheed Imam Hasan’s brother Rabiul Awal.

Chaired by Global Knowledge Foundation Chairman Rabeya Akhter and moderated by Omar Farooq, the event featured former Dhaka University professor Tajmeri S. Islam as the chief guest. Special guests included National Revolutionary Council Political Head Anisur Rahman, Organization Head Shafiur Rahman and Member Secretary Mohammad Hasan Arif, Revolutionary Student Council Chairman Abdul Wahed and Member Secretary Fazlur Rahman.

Various demands were presented to the government at the conference. These demands include, in particular, that all martyr families of the July Revolution be given due dignity and better treatment options for the injured, that a public Shaheed Smriti library and a Shishu Academy should be set up in Uttara and that a psychological support team of international standards should be formed The children affected by the movement and the contribution of women and children to the history of the July Revolution should be highlighted.