The government has initiated a move to persuade a citizens' group not to stage its planned demonstrations at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka on the Eid day demanding removal of the communications minister holding him responsible for deplorable road condition.
Communications minister Syed Abul Hossain on Sunday talked to rights activist and columnist Syed Abul Maksud and Dhaka University teacher Robaet Ferdous, who are leading a campaign demanding a guarantee for natural death, and requested them to cancel the protest programme.
The citizen's group under the banner of 'students, teachers and conscious people', on Sunday, however, said the protest programme would go ahead as scheduled despite the minister's appeal.
'The communications minister talked to me over phone at about 1:30pm and requested us not to stage demonstrations at the Shaheed Minar on the Eid day,' Robaet Ferdous, an associate professor of Dhaka University, told New Age on Sunday.
But, he said, that they would stage the protest and a token hunger strike at the Central Shaheed Minar, scheduled to begin at 12:30 on the Eid day adding that tougher agitation programmes would be announced if their demands were not fulfilled.
'I made phone calls to Syed Abul Maksud and Robaet Ferdous and requested them to withdraw their programme,' the communications minister told New Age on Sunday.
He said that the authorities had tried its best to ensure a hassle-free journey for home-bound people.
'I am not responsible for the situation as the road repair work could not be done in time due to fund constraints,' said the minister, adding, 'Now I leave it to the leaders of the citizens' group to take a decision.'
Talking to New Age Syed Abul Maksud said that as the prime minister had already announced she was not going to make any changes to her cabinet at the moment, cancellation of the protest programme was not possible.
'We are determined about our demand and the protest programme will go ahead as scheduled,' he said, adding that he would go to the Shaheed Minar, even if none accompanied him.
He also criticised the state minister for law, Kamrul Islam, for mocking the people who announced the protest programme.
'I never pretended to be an Anna Hazare. But he made provocative remarks about us,' said Maksud.
Senior leaders of the ruling Awami League, however, said that they would request the organisers of the demonstration to withdraw the programme on the Eid day.
'I will request them not to hold demonstrations on the Eid day to give the government a chance to complete the road repair work,' said AL presidium member Obaidul Quader, and hoped that they would not stage the protest.
Appreciating the concern of the civil society members, he said that it prompted the government to take up the issue on a priority basis.
Another presidium member, Kazi Zafar Ullah said that it was the democratic right of any citizen to stage protest and the ruling party would not take any move against the programme.
Eminent citizens and professionals at a rally on August 24 urged the prime minister to remove the communications minister by August 31 for his failure in ensuring passengers safety.
They announced that they would celebrate Eid at the Central Shaheed Minar in the city, if their demand was not met.
Source : New Age
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