JU students light candles to honour freedom fighter Manik Poshari, protest obstruction of burial

A group of Jahangirnagar University (JU) students paid tribute to freedom fighter Manik Poshari, who testified against Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami leader Delawar Hossain Sayedee in a crimes against humanity case. They also held a candlelight vigil on campus to strongly condemn and protest the alleged obstruction of his burial.

The programme took place on Tuesday evening under the banner of “Students of Jahangirnagar University”.

Students lit candles at the university’s Central Shaheed Minar in memory of freedom fighter Manik Poshari.

Speaking at the gathering, student Durbar Adi said, “Obstructing the burial of a freedom fighter because he testified against Sayedee in legal proceedings is utterly condemnable and saddening.” Expressing anger, he asked, “Why should a freedom fighter face obstacles to being buried in his birthplace in an independent country?”

Soma Dumri, an organiser of the JU unit of Biplobi Chhatra Maitree, said at the protest, “An incident such as the obstruction of Manik Poshari’s burial is deeply concerning. Obstructing his last rites because he participated in the state’s legal process and testified amounts to violating his fundamental rights as a citizen and a freedom fighter.”