Twenty-eight prominent citizens have issued a joint statement expressing deep concern, public outrage, and strong condemnation over the obstruction of the burial and state guard of honour for freedom fighter Manik Pashari by local Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists in Pirojpur.
In their statement issued on Saturday, the citizens described the incident as a grave violation of fundamental human rights.
Describing the circumstances following Manik Pashari’s passing on 24 October as deeply tragic, unwanted, and condemnable, the signatories noted that after his grave was dug for the first time, local Jamaat-e-Islami activists filled it back up with earth.
Subsequently, after approximately 2am, Manik Pashari’s daughter and two sisters re-dug the grave with the assistance of village police under the light of mobile phones, completing his burial under police protection nearly 15 hours after his death.
The statement stressed that such an ordeal surrounding the final send-off of a freedom fighter 55 years after independence raises profound questions and concerns regarding the state, society, and political culture.
Manik Pashari, a resident of Chitalia village in Shankarpasha Union under Pirojpur Sadar Upazila, had been residing at his daughter’s residence in Gopalganj since the mass uprising of 5 August 2024, where he passed away on 24 October.
Although steps were taken to bury him with a state guard of honour in accordance with official procedures, local Jamaat-e-Islami leaders and activists- a group that opposed Bangladesh’s Liberation War in 1971- obstructed the burial by questioning his status as a freedom fighter. The guard of honour was later accorded to his body at the Pirojpur Police Lines.
The joint statement asserted that the sole authority to determine whether an individual officially recognised by the state as a freedom fighter holds that status rests with the state, and an anti-independence party cannot dictate who is a freedom fighter.
Highlighting that Jamaat-e-Islami leaders face documentarily proven charges of war crimes, including the killing of intellectuals during 1971, for which they have neither accepted responsibility nor tendered a public apology, the signatories emphasized that creating obstacles to a janaza (funeral) and burial based on political stance or past roles is completely unacceptable.
They reiterated that proper burial of a deceased person is an obligatory teaching in Islam and all religions, and termed the actions committed against Manik Pashari a criminal offence, demanding a fair investigation and strict legal action against those involved.
The 28 signatories are- Human Rights Activist and Founding Chair of Manabadhikar Sanskriti Foundation Advocate Sultana Kamal, Coordinator of Nijera Kori Khushi Kabir, Executive Director of TIB Dr Iftekharuzzaman, Senior Advocate of the Bangladesh Supreme Court Z I Khan Panna, Executive Director of Manusher Jonno Foundation Shaheen Anam, Executive Director of Campaign for Popular Education Rasheda K Choudhury, Photographer Shahidul Alam, Executive Director of ALRD Shamsul Huda, Dhaka University Prof Samina Lutfah, Dhaka University Prof Sumaiya Khair, Dhaka University Prof Tanzimuddin Khan, Dhaka University Prof Zobaida Nasreen, Dhaka University Prof Robaet Ferdous, London School of Economics and Political Science Visiting Prof Swapan Adnan, North South University Prof Nova Ahmed, Writer and Researcher Rahnuma Ahmed, Senior Advocate of the Bangladesh Supreme Court Subrata Chowdhury, Senior Advocate of the Bangladesh Supreme Court Tabarak Hossain, Executive Director of BNWLA Advocate Salma Ali, Human Rights Activist Md Nur Khan, Writer and Researcher Pavel Partha, Researcher and Rights Activist Rozina Begum, Chief Executive of Nagorik Uddyog Zakir Hossain, Chief Executive of Manabadhikar Sanskriti Foundation Saidur Rahman, Human Rights Activist Sayeed Ahmad, Human Rights Activist Dipayan Khisa, Rights Activist Hana Shams Ahmed, and Rights Activist Muktasree Chakma.
