Police halt July Oikya's march to Indian High Commission

Police on Wednesday halted July Oikya's march to the Indian High Commission in the capital's Badda area.
The July Oikya platform, comprising demonstrators of the July 2024 uprising, launched the march at around 3:00 PM from the Rampura Bridge area in the city.
Police halted the march in front of Badda Hossain Market at around 4:00 PM with barricades. The demonstrators demanded the repatriation of fugitive former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and others allegedly involved in crimes against humanity during the uprising.
At Pragati Sarani in the city, they chanted slogans against Indian aggression. They also demanded immediate arrests of those involved in the shooting on Inquilab Moncha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi.
Meanwhile, traffic halted on Pragati Sarani following a police barricade as the participants took position on the road.
In a statement released earlier this week, July Oikya described the march as a symbolic reaffirmation of the spirit of the July mass uprising and a call for justice against those held responsible for atrocities committed during that period.
The platform also condemned what it termed "ongoing conspiracies" by Indian-backed political parties, media outlets, and government officials within Bangladesh.
The statement accused India of sheltering individuals responsible for mass killings during the July uprising and linked recent violent incidents - including the shooting of Dhaka-8 parliamentary candidate Sharif Osman Hadi - to what it described as continued external meddling.
"We will not accept any form of domination in Bangladesh 2.0," the statement asserted.
July Oikya issued an ultimatum to both the Indian government and Bangladesh's interim administration, warning that failure to repatriate the accused would render Delhi and specific Bangladeshi government departments "responsible for subsequent consequences."
As the protest unfolded, the Indian Visa Application Centre (IVAC) at Jamuna Future Park closed at 2 PM (Wednesday) citing the "ongoing security situation."
A notice posted by IVAC stated that all applicants with appointments for the day would be rescheduled.
Participants in the long march included ex-military officers, student leaders from universities, colleges, madrasas, and schools, and various civil society groups.

talhabinhabib@yahoo.com