Thirty-two eminent citizens have condemned the assault on engineer M Inamul Haque when he was distributing anti-government leaflets in Dhaka’s Shahbagh.
They demanded justice for the abuser in a media statement, claiming that the assault had harmed more than just the victim and called into doubt the nation's regard for the rights and dignity of its citizens.
The individuals stated in the statement that Inamul, a former director general of the River Research Institute, is highly renowned for his efforts to enhance river and water management in the nation.
On December 24, he was talking with some of his friends about the "existent crisis in democratic norms and election processes" in the nation before handing out leaflets to the populace, the statement read.
The leaflets promoted a planned half-day hartal that Inamul's party Sharbajan Biplobi Dal had called for.
He was abruptly smacked and verbally assaulted by a leader of the ruling party. However, the statement noted that Inamul's anti-government activities are within his constitutional rights.
The eminent citizens claimed that the "clear and aggressive attack" on this constitutional provision only served to highlight the nation's ongoing loss of fundamental democratic principles like tolerance for dissent.
To guarantee Inamul's abuser received exemplary punishment, they demanded that legal action be taken right away. Otherwise, it would become another instance of lack of justice, they noted.
Economist Professor Mahbub Ullah, Political Scientist Professor Dilara Chowdhury, Professor Asif Nazrul, Political Scientist Abdul Latif Masum, Professor Mohammad Tanzimuddin Khan, Professor Mohammad Kamrul Ahsan, Nasir Uddin Ahmed, Mahabub Hossain, and others signed the statement.
