28 eminent citizens condemn Jamaat’s role in freedom fighter’s burial

Twenty-eight prominent citizens on Saturday condemned the reported obstruction by Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists to the burial of freedom fighter Manik Pashari in Pirojpur, saying a party that opposed the Liberation War cannot decide who qualifies as a freedom fighter.
In a joint statement, they said the obstruction kept the burial and state guard of honour on hold for nearly 15 hours, and demanded a proper investigation and strict legal action against those responsible.
Local Jamaat leaders and activists reportedly said only the state has the authority to decide whether an individual is a freedom fighter. They also filled in the grave after it was first dug.
After 2am on 24 October, the deceased’s daughter and two sisters re-dug the grave with help from village police, and he was buried under police protection nearly 15 hours after his death.
“The evolving situation surrounding the final farewell to a freedom fighter, 55 years after the country’s independence, raised grave concerns regarding our state, society and political culture,” the statement read.
“Burial following an individual’s death is a fundamental human right. No individual, group, or even the state can violate the right,” they said, adding that what happened amounted to a criminal offence.
Sultana Kamal, Rasheda K Chowdhury, Khushi Babir, ZI Khan Panna, Iftekharuzzaman, Shaheen Anam, Rehnuma Ahmed, Shahidul Alam, Swapan Adnan and Shamsul Huda are among the signatories.