The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Thousands of Muslim devotees under various banners in Dhaka and across the country yesterday staged demonstrations in protest against the blasphemous cartoon and sarcastic story about Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SM).

They demanded the arrest of daily 'Prothom Alo' editor Matiur Rahman, its publisher Mahfuz Anam and weekly magazine '2000' editor Golam Mortuza in this connection, within 72 hours.

During the agitation, the angry protestors set fire to some copies of daily 'Prothom Alo' and also the effigies of its editor Matiur Rahman.

Meanwhile, police resorted to baton charge in Shahbagh area when several hundred activists and supporters of Hizbut Tahrir, Bangladesh atempted to lay siege to the 'Prothom Alo' office at Karwanbazar. In the police action, at least 15 people were injured.

Soon after the juma prayer, the Muslim devotees came out in the streets, brought out angry processions chanting slogans against daily 'Prothom Alo' and weekly '2000'. They set fire to some copies of the daily and also the effigies of its editor on the road in front of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Hizbut Tahrir activists led by its chief coordinator Mahiuddin Ahmed marched towards the Prothom Alo office at Karwanbazar from the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.

Witnesses said when the processionists reached near Shahbagh Police Control Room, police placed roadblocks. But, they marched forward breaking the police barricade. Then police went on action.

When the agitators broke through the second barricade near Sheraton Hotel within Shahbagh area, police resorted to baton charge again to disperse them. Police charged batons indiscriminately on the protestors on the roads and lanes in the areas that left over 15 protestors injured.

Before the procession, Hizbut Tahrir, held a rally in front of the national mosque where they rejected the call of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque Khatib Maulana Obaidul Huq.

They said that the Khatib has no right to forgive those murtads who had dishonoured the Rasul (Holy Prophet) and the holy 'Kaba Sharif'.

The rally was addressed, among others, by Hizbut Tahrir joint coordinator Kazi Morshedul Huq, its political adviser Sheikh Toufiq and mass communication secretary Maulana Mamunur Rashid.

Other Islamic political parties, including Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, Bangladesh Khelafat Andolan, Zamiatush Shabab Bangladesh and Islami Oikya Andolan, also staged demonstrations and brought out processions and paraded different roads around Purana Paltan.

They also rejected the call of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque Khatib and demanded the arrest of those accused journalists.

Meanwhile in a press statement, Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh Ameer Maulana Motiur Rahman Nizami yesterday said the crimes, which were commited by publishing the cartoon and sarcastic story were unforgivable as these hurt the religious sentiments of the Muslims.

He urged the government to take punitive actions against them so that none dare commit such a crime in future.

In Chitagong, Muslim devotees under the banner of `General Musalli Parishad' held a rally in the Andarkilla mosque premises with its convenor Kazi Fazlul Karim in the chair.

Addressing the rally, the speakers accused the two publications of

showing extreme audacity to Muslim Ummah through their "unpardonable" acts. Though they had apologised for the sacrilege, they cannot be forgiven, the speakers said.

After the rally, the devotees numbering about 2,000 tried to bring out a procession, but abandoned the plan at the request of police officials.