Joint statement by 16 former Chhatra League presidents and general secretaries: ‘We vehemently reject the verdict of the illegal kangaroo court’

❐ Staff Reporter

The former presidents and general secretaries of Bangladesh Chhatra League have rejected with disgust the verdict announced against seven leaders of Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League, calling it a ‘premeditated and politically motivated farce given by an illegal kangaroo court’.

Sixteen former top leaders responded in a joint statement.

The statement mentions the verdicts against those who were sentenced: Bangladesh Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader, Joint General Secretary AFM Bahauddin Nasim, former State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad A Arafat, Jubo League Chairman Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash and General Secretary Md. Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil, and Chhatra League President Saddam Hossain and General Secretary Sheikh Wali Asif Inan.

Highlighting the organization’s heritage, the statement said, “Chhatra League is not just a student organization; it is an integral part of the struggle for Bengali rights, democracy, freedom and independence.” The leaders noted that since its establishment on January 4, 1948, the organization has played a historic role in the movement to establish the just rights of the student community and the common people.

The statement said that in addition to leading the streets against the exploitation and discrimination of the Pakistani ruling class, 17,000 leaders and activists of the organization sacrificed their lives in the 1971 Liberation War, and that their sacrifice is a glorious chapter in the country’s independence history.

Former leaders said that the student community and the people of the country will not accept the attempt to establish false and fabricated charges against the leaders of this organization founded by the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman through an illegal, biased and politically motivated judicial process.

In their opinion, the truth of history cannot be erased by a farce verdict.

The statement expressed strong condemnation, anger and protest against the verdict, saying, “Truth is never defeated and history never bows to lies.” They also commented that it is not possible to erase Bangabandhu’s ideals, the spirit of the Liberation War, the history of the struggle for democracy, non-communalism and human rights through any conspiracy or propaganda.

It was also announced that their protest against injustice, political revenge, and lies will continue.

The statement makers are former presidents Mainuddin Hasan Chowdhury, AKM Enamul Haque Shamim, Liaquat Sikder, Mahmud Hasan Ripon, Badiuzzaman Sohag, Saifur Rahman Sohag, Rezwanul Haque Shovon and Al Nahian Khan Joy and former general secretaries Asim Kumar Ukil, Iqbalur Rahim, Nazrul Islam Babu, Mahfuzul Haider Chowdhury Roton, Siddique Nazmul Alam, SM Zakir Hossain, Golam Rabbani and Lekhak Bhattacharya.