Several right-wing extremists attacked and injured former vice-chancellor of Jahangirnagar University professor M Anwar Hossain in front of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on August 5, alleged the family.
In a statement, issued by the professor鈥檚 wife, Ayesha Hossain on Friday, the family requested the interim government to ensure their safety and security.聽
The statement, titled 鈥楶lease save my husband professor M Anwar Hossain鈥檚 life鈥�, read that the 75-year-old professor was brutally attacked by several right-wing extremists in front of the airport on August 5 just after 4:00pm.
It also read that the professor was highly critical of the government鈥檚 attacks on the students during the recent student protests.
According to the statement, he was going to Shahbagh with his family members from Uttara on August 5.
They started to walk as there were a huge number of people on roads.
In front of the airport, an unknown person in his forties suddenly approached the professor, it said, adding, 鈥楬e began to shout: I recognise you. You鈥檙e the professor who was against Jamaat [Jamaat-e-Islami] at the Tribunal [International Crimes Tribunal]. We saw you on the television.鈥�
Some three to four more people gathered around the professor and started chanting 鈥楴aara-e-Takbeer鈥�.
Then they started to attack the professor with various objects for several minutes before the family members and two more people on the road took the professor to the army barricade in the airport.
He underwent immediate treatment at the medical centre in the airport.
As Bangladesh has been plunged into extreme levels of lawlessness and anarchy in the absence of a government, there are compelling reasons to believe that many vested quarters are taking advantage of the situation, including far-right extremists, the statement continued.
It also said, 鈥榃e are highly alarmed by the presence of the Jamaat-e-Islami in discussions leading up to formation of the interim government, even though their perpetration of core international crimes against the Bengali populace in 1971 is well-documented.鈥�
鈥榃e waited to release this statement until the formation of the interim government with the hope that it shall now take immediate steps to protect my husband and my family from further attacks,鈥� it read.
鈥楾oo many people have sacrificed their lives in recent weeks to realise their noble dream. We cannot allow this dream to go in vain. We demand justice for all,鈥� it concluded.
