TDS Desk:

The family members and the relatives of those killed during the recent student-led movement have demanded trial and exemplary punishment of ex-prime minister Shiekh Hasina and her associates for their roles in the heinous crimes.

The aggrieved people made the demand from a human chain held at the Central Shaheed Minar in the capital on Wednesday morning. Near the human chain, law department students of the University of Dhaka (DU set up a booth to provide legal advice to the victims’ families seeking justice.

Activists of the then ruling Awami League party and its affiliated organisations as well as law enforcing personnel killed and severely injured many people, mostly young students, during late July and early August to deter and subdue protests against an over 15-year autocratic rule.

Saifuddin Ahmed, a teacher of DU and one of the participants in Wednesday’s human chain, said the countrymen would remain grateful to the martyrs, the injured and those who risked their lives but stayed unhurt during the movement waged against policies of the Awami League government.

“It is highly important to bring Sheikh Hasina and her associates back to the country and ensure strict punishment for the culprits. My heartfelt advice to the home advisor is to issue an Interpol Red Alert for arresting the culprits, bringing them back to the country, and exact justice.

“The stakeholders of Awami regime have made a lot of dirty money through corruption, drug smuggling, and other illegal ways. As a result our economy is about to be deadlocked. To revive our economy, the interim government must take steps to bring illegally transferred money back to the country,” DU teacher Saifuddin added.

Brother of martyr Jobayer Omor Khan came to join the rally from Naraynganj. He said, “I am bearing the pain of losing my brother, but have no regret now after the successful revolution. My brother died in Naraynganj while fighting against the demons.”

He requested the state to recognise all those who were killed and injured during the student-led movement, and mark the 5th of August as the national revolutionary day.

The sister of martyr Samiu Aman Noor came from Tongi of Gazipur district to demand fair trial against the culprits who killed her brother.

She said that her brother was only 13 years old, when he was killed. He had no weapon with him, but still was shot in the head for ensuring death.

She asked the authorities, “Is this called freedom? Was this the spirit for which our ancestors fought to liberate the country in 1971?”

“This cannot be freedom. It is not the liberation we want,” she said demanding trail for all the extrajudicial killings including that of her brother.