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| Bangladesh |
| Hefajat threatens to topple govt |
| 2013-04-21 |
| [Bangla Daily Star] Hefajat-e Islam on Saturday threatened to topple the government if its 13-point demand including the hanging of "atheist" bloggers would not meet by May 5. The leaders of the so-called Islamist group issued the threat from a rally at Dak Bangla Chattar in the city of Khulna. Thousands of leaders and activists of the organization from different districts in Khulna division attended the rally, reports our Khulna correspondent. The rally stretched nearly one kilometre area from the stage at Dak Bangla Chattar to Powerhouse intersection in the city. The public meeting started around 10:00am with recitation from the Holy Koran, presided over by Hazrat Mawlana Mostak Ahmed, ameer of Khulna district unit of Hefajat. Addressing the rally, Mufti Rezaul Karim, a member of Khulna district unit of Hefajat, demanded capital punishment to journalist Shahriar Kabir, Prof Muntasir Mamun and Shahbagh Gonojagoron Mancha front man Imran H Sarker along with the "atheist" bloggers. The BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance expressed solidarity with the rally. Doctors' Association of Bangladesh (DAB) provided medical assistance to the participants of the rally. Different organizations distributed dry food and water among participants from pickup vans in several points at the rally. Abul Kalam Azad, an assistant commissioner of Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP), told The Daily Star that 2,500 law enforcers were deployed to maintain security of the rally. |
| Posted by:Fred |