Top leaders of the 12-party alliance have expressed deep concern and anger over the bloody clashes between students at Kuet yesterday.
In a statement sent to the media, the leaders said, "The unity of all the forces of the mass uprising is our destination. Anti-fascists and Bangladeshi nationalists must compete politically positively among themselves. Everyone must show restraint and utmost tolerance." The leaders said, "The allies of the fallen dictatorship will be inspired by yesterday's incident and will spread the trap of conspiracy."
The leaders said, "If anyone, be it politics or otherwise, openly thinks that July's allies are the former Chhatra League and Chhatra Shibir, and that Chhatra Dal is July's enemy, then it will be difficult to protect July's achieved independence."
The leaders also said, "We want punishment for the criminals, as well as support the politics of coexistence and progress. July independence cannot be protected without excluding the Chhatra Dal."
The alliance leaders called on everyone to strengthen anti-fascist unity with a mindset of openness, tolerance, acceptance of dissent and criticism at this critical juncture for the nation.
The leaders fear that disunity among themselves will help the fascists to reorganize in a new way. Let us be united in building a new Bangladesh.
The statement was signed by the head of the 12-party alliance and chairman of the Jatiya Party, Mustafa Jamal Haider, the alliance's spokesperson and chairman of the Bangladesh LDP, Shahadat Hossain Selim, the alliance's coordinator and chairman of the Bangladesh National Party, Syed Ehsanul Huda, the secretary general of the Jamiat Ulama-e-Islam Bangladesh, Dr. Golam Mohiuddin Ikram, the chairman of Bikalpadhara Bangladesh, Professor Nurul Amin Bepari, the vice-president of the Jatiya Ganatantrik Party (JAGPA), Rashed Pradhan, the chairman of the Labor Party, Faruk Rahman, the chairman of the Kalyan Party, Shamsuddin Parvez, the secretary general of the Islami Oikya Jote, Abdul Karim, the secretary general of the Islamic Party, Abul Kashem, the chairman of the Progressive Nationalist Party (PNP), Firoz Muhammad Liton, and the chairman of the Naya Ganatantrik Party, MA Mannan.
