The leaders of different students鈥� organisations on Wednesday said that the Bangladesh Islami Chhatra Shibir, the student wing of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, must apologise for anti-liberation statements in an article in the December issue of its monthly publication, Chhatra Sangbad.
They condemned and protested at Shibir鈥檚 recent publication that contained anti-liberation and disrespectful statements about freedom fighters.
The student leaders said that such a publication again proved that Shibir or Jamaat was still against Bangladesh鈥檚 War of Independence in 1971.
Amid widespread criticisms, the Chhatra Sangbad on Wednesday evening withdrew the article from the magazine.
In the December issue of Chhatra Sangbad, a monthly magazine published by Chhatra Shibir and edited by its president, an article titled 鈥楢utocrats throughout history and their tragic fate鈥� written by Ahmed Afghani contains highly objectionable remarks on the War of Independence and freedom fighters, said a release issued by Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, the student wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.
The article reads that many Muslims joined the liberation war without understanding, which was their failure and lack of foresight.
鈥楧ue to the carelessness of the editorial team, a few controversial and unwanted lines about the War of Independence were published in an article titled 鈥淎utocrats throughout history and their tragic fate鈥�,鈥� reads a Facebook post from Chhatra Shibir and the Chhatra Sangbad.
Regretting the publication, the Chhatra Sangbad withdrew the article from the magazine, the post also reads.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Chhatra Sangbad, wrote on its Facebook page, 鈥楾his comment is purely a personal opinion of the author. According to our editorial policy, we believe in the freedom of expression for everyone.鈥�
Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal president Rakibul Islam Rakib and general secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir in a joint statement condemned and protested at the publication and said that Shibir must apologise and acknowledge the truth of the War of Independence.
鈥楾he claim that people mistakenly or unknowingly joined the war is nothing but a daring attempt by the defeated forces of 1971 and their allies to hide their shame of defeat,鈥� the statement said.
Such propaganda will create an environment for the ideological rehabilitation of the fascist Awami League, it said.
Saikat Arif, general secretary of the Students鈥� Federation of Bangladesh, said that Jamaat was against the liberation war and was involved in mass killings.
Moreover, Jamaat and its student wing portrayed the war in a disrespectful way in the past 54 years, Arif said and added that the publication was a reflection of that.
Rageeb Nayeem, the president of the Bangladesh Students鈥� Union, said that the publication proved that they had not shifted from their position regarding the War of Independence and Bangladesh.
The publication also shows their denial of 54 years鈥� journey of Bangladesh after the war.
Chhatra Shibir or Jamaat must not think that there exists none upholding the spirit of the liberation war after the fall of the fascist Awami League.
Rafiqujjaman Farid, coordinator of the Democratic Student Alliance and general secretary of Socialist Students鈥� Front, said that if any party wants to do politics in Bangladesh, the party must have to accept the War of Independence, the birth of the country.
He said that Jamaat was yet to seek forgiveness for their role in the war.
鈥楾hey must clarify their stands on the war,鈥� said Farid.
He said that Chhatra Shibir could not avoid the role in spreading anti-liberation narrative by claiming that those were personal opinion of the writer.
