Muktijuddha Mancha, a pro-Awami League platform, demanded on Saturday that the government should take legal actions against Hefazat-e-Islam leader Mamunul Haque and Islami Andolan Bangladesh senior vice-president Syed Mohammad Faizul Karim for reportedly demeaning the country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Leaders and activists of the organisation held a rally blocking Shahbagh crossing in Dhaka to press their demands.

Muktijuddha Mancha leaders said that they wanted Mamunul and Faizul to be arrested on charge of instigating people against the construction of a sculpture of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in Dhaka.

Muktijuddha Mancha leaders and activists of Dhaka, Narayanganj and Gazipur gathered at Anti-Hooliganism Raju Memorial on Dhaka University campus and marched towards Shahbagh to block roads at about 4:00pm to press their demands. The blockade, however, caused huge traffic jam until they withdrew the blockade at about 5:00pm.

Addressing a rally at Shahbagh, the president of the organisation, Aminul Islam Bulbul, said that Mamunul Haque and Faizul Karim were just religion traders. They should be tried for humiliating the Prophet and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, said Aminul.

He warned that they would wage tough movement across the country if Mamunul and Faizul were not arrested.

He announced countrywide protest programmes for December 1 to press home their demands.

They demanded the construction of Sheikh Mujib’s sculpture at every educational institution and at every district and upazila headquarter, ban on religion-based politics, bar on political activities in mosques and madrassahs, setting up of anti-sexual harassment cells in madrassahs, singing of national anthem regularly by madrassah students, hoisting of the national flag on every working day, and building Shaheed Minars on madrassah campuses.