Students to counter AL programme today

The Anti-Discrimination Student Movement will hold a mass gathering at the Zero Point in the capital’s Gulistan today, demanding trial of the Awami League.
The students’ platform will begin the programme at 12:00pm where, it said, all pro-mass uprising political parties and cultural organisations will participate.
Hasnat Abdullah, one of the key coordinators of the Movement, made the announcement through a post in his verified Facebook page, calling on all to observe similar programmes in every district.
The student body came up with the announcement a day after the Awami League urged its leaders and activists to gather at Noor Hossain Chattar (Zero Point) at 3:00pm today to observe the Shaheed Noor Hossain Day.
Noor Hossain, then a 26-year-old leader of Jubo League, was killed in police firing on November 10, 1987, while protesting against the then autocratic rule of Ershad at the Zero Point.
The AL said it will stage the programme to demand restoration of democracy, according to a press release posted on its official Facebook page.
Meanwhile, the interim government has sounded a stern warning against the Awami League taking to the street.
Terming the AL a “fascist” party, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam yesterday said the government will not allow them to hold any protest. “The Awami League in its current form is a fascist party. There is no way this fascist party will be allowed to hold protests in Bangladesh,” he said in a Facebook post.
Alam also warned against any attempts to organise rallies or processions by taking orders from “mass murderer and dictator Sheikh Hasina”. If anyone tries to do so, the law enforcers will deal with it strictly, he said, adding that the interim government will not tolerate any violence or any attempt to break public order in the country.
Asif Mahmud, youth and sports adviser, in his verified Facebook account yesterday said if any members of banned organisations or perpetrators of genocide attempt to hold events, law enforcement will take strict action.
Announcing the mass gathering, Hasnat Abdullah, in his Facebook post, urged all not to create any public sufferings and any kind of violence.
“Disguised [Awami] League criminals might carry out vandalism and arson and then shift responsibility onto the students and people. So If you find anyone from the [Awami] League, hand them over to the police,” he said.
In another post, Hasnat urged the students of Dhaka College, Ideal College and City College to join what he called the “Apa Domon” (resist Sheikh Hasina) programme.