PCP holds rally against bomb blasts

The Hill Students’ Council, a front organisation of the United People’s Democratic Front (UPDF), took out a procession and held a rally on Dhaka University campus yesterday in protest against Tuesday’s suicide bomb attacks in Chittagong and Gazipur.

The procession paraded Dhaka University campus before ending at TSC square, where the PCP processionists held a rally.

The rally was addressed by Dipankar Tripura, General Secretary of the Hill Students’ Council, Mithun Chakma, General Secretary of the Chittagong Hill Tracts Democratic Youth Forum and Sonali Chakma, president of the Hill Women’s Federation.

Condemning the terrorist bomb attacks in court premises in Chittagong and Gazipur, the leaders said the fanatic Islamist militants are trying to create anarchy across the country.

They said by carrying out bomb blasts one after another the fundamentalist forces are pushing the country towards complete destruction.

The leaders of the three organisations urged the progressive forces to face these reactionary elements unitedly and foil their attempt to establish a theocratic state in the country.

Criticising the government for failing to curb the rising Islamic militancy, the leaders said the BNP led four party alliance has completely failed to provide protection to the citizens.

PCP leader Dipankar Tripura said while the Islamist militants are killing and maiming innocent people in the name of establishing Islamic rule in the country, the army has clamped down virtual military rule in the Chittagong Hill Tracts in the name of protecting sovereignty and national security.

He accused the army of attempting to suppress the just struggle of the Jumma people for protecting their national identity and traditional land rights.

The leaders also called upon the government to initiate dialogue with UPDF with a view to finding a durable and lasting solution to the Chittaogng Hill Tracts problem.

Prepared by Press Section, Publications and Publicity Department, United People's Democratic Front (UPDF), December 01, 2005, Dhaka.