Protest march at DU condemns 'assassination attempt' on Hasnat, Sarjis

The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement and the National Citizens' Committee organised a protest march and rally condemning the alleged "assassination attempt" on Hasnat Abdullah and Sarjis Alam while they were travelling from Chattogram to Dhaka.

The National Citizens' Committee brought out a protest march from Shahbagh at 11:00pm on Wednesday (27 November), expressing solidarity with the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement's rally at Raju Memorial Sculpture. 

The procession later circled the intersection near the Dhaka University vice chancellor's residence before returning to the Raju Memorial Sculpture.

Adib Arif, a member of the Citizens' Committee, told The Business Standard, "Since the fall of fascism on 5 August, our country has been facing continuous conspiracies, often fueled by the neighbouring country. As part of this, a lawyer was killed in Chattogram. Following the janaza, the car in the motorcade of Hasnat and Sarjis was deliberately attacked in an attempt to kill them. This is yet another instance in a series of conspiracies. We will counter these plots by building public defense." 

Photo: Md Belal Hossen/TBS

During a brief rally, Akhtar Hossain, member secretary of the Citizens' Committee, said the people of Bangladesh, particularly its Muslims, will not be provoked by the killing of Alif or the attack on Hasnat and Sarjis. 

He emphasised that those trying to destabilise the country must be identified and brought to justice. 

He further called for freeing Bangladesh's politics and diplomacy from "Delhi's influence".

Earlier on Wednesday, a car of the motorcade of Hasnat Abdullah and Sarjis Alam, leaders of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, met with an accident this evening while they were on their way to Dhaka after offering prayers at the grave of lawyer Saiful Islam in Chattogram.

A truck rammed the car at around 7:30pm at the Haji Road intersection on the Chattogram-Cox's Bazar highway, said Hannan Masud, a coordinator of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement.

Meanwhile, in another Facebook post over the incident, Arif Sohel, member secretary of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, said both Hasnat and Sarjis were safe.