Secretary General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and former MP Professor Mia Golam Porwar has issued a statement on July 16, 2024 condemning and protesting the latest incident, as 5 people have been killed in police firing and the simultaneous attack of police and Chhatra League on protesting students.
In the statement, he said, "The entire Bangladesh has been marked with bloodshed today due to the attack of Chhatra League and police on the protesting students. So far 5 people have been killed during the quota reform movement across the country. Among them, 3 people including Chittagong College student Md Wasim and shop employee Md Farooq were killed in Chittagong, Begum Rokeya University English Department student Abu Saeed in Rangpur and another youth in front of Dhaka College in the capital. Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at protesting students across the country. Along with these brutal killings, police and Chhatra League jointly attacked and opened fire across the country which has left hundreds of students and general masses injured. Such events are rare in the world history. These casualties are nothing but grossly unfair, unjustified and unacceptable. I express deep concern and strongly condemn and protest these casualties.
He also said that the police fired indiscriminately on protesting students across the country including the capital Dhaka. Police, Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League workers participated in the attack on the agitating students. The government wants to stifle the democratic rights of students at gunpoint. This is not the right way for solution. We have been saying since the beginning of this movement that the just demands of the agitating students should be taken into consideration and the ongoing crisis must be resolved fairly. But instead of doing so, the government is trying to quell the movement, first through the courts and now by engaging party terrorists and the law enforcers.
He said, I am praying for the departed souls and extending sympathy to their mournful families. I am also praying for the injured. I am calling upon the authorities concerned to provide proper treatment to those who have been injured and to compensate the families of the victims. At the same time, I am urging the government to take strict legal action against the attackers in different parts of the country and to solve the logical demands of the agitating students properly.