NCP Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain speaking at a discussion in the capital. Photo: BSS

DHAKA, May 6, 2025 (BSS) - Leaders of the National Citizen Party (NCP) have demanded formation of an independent commission to investigate the Shapla Square crackdown in 2023 to ensure justice as well as official recognition of the victims as ‘Martyrs’.

 “Those responsible for the brutal crackdown of 2013, including Awami League leaders and their collaborators, must face justice through an independent investigation commission. The martyrs must be recognized by the state, and compensation must be provided to all affected families,” said NCP Member Secretary Akhtar Hossain.

Akhter was addressing a discussion titled “A Decade since the Shapla Square Massacre: Justice, Fair Investigation, Recognition of the Martyrs, and State Accountability,” at the party’s central office in the capital.

The NCP leaders also condemned the lack of judicial action and demanded trials of those who were allegedly involved, proper compensation for victims' families, and a clear political stance from other parties to prevent the Awami League from participating in future elections.

 Akhtar Hossain said, “When we talk about the Shapla Square massacre after more than a decade, it becomes clear that not only the Awami League, but also their cultural and intellectual allies share equal responsibility for the incident.”

“Even after eight months, no judicial process had been initiated and no independent investigation body formed regarding the Shapla killings,” he added.

NCP senior Joint Convener Ariful Islam Adib said, “Members of the police, BGB, and RAB involved in the operation should also be brought to justice.”

He criticized intellectuals and public figures who, in his words, “produced consent” for the massacre or sought to downplay its severity. “Those who justified the killings, directly or indirectly, must be held accountable—not just as intellectuals, but as extremist citizens,” Adib asserted.

He also pointed to political failures of the time saying, “Opposition parties, including BNP and Jamaat, failed to reach a political understanding and instead led people into confrontation with the state without preparation. Their poor decisions cost hundreds of lives.”

NCP leader Sarwar Tushar alleged that the ruling Awami League has turned into a ‘purely terrorist organisation’ and no longer deserves the right to participate in politics in Bangladesh.

“AL must not be allowed to take part in the upcoming elections. Any attempt to rehabilitate them will be resisted,” he warned.

NCP leader Mushfiq Salehin demanded a fair investigation and called for justice for the victims in the Shapla Square Massacre.

The party leaders emphasised that although filing of cases was not possible immediately after the incident due to the political reason, the time has now come to take legal actions.

NCP Joint Member Secretary Faisal Mahmud Shanto said, “Revolutions are never spontaneous—they emerge through the blood of the people. From Pilkhana in 2009 to Shapla in 2013 and beyond, the streets have been made fertile with sacrifice. Yet, for over a decade, we remained silent. We are all complicit,” he said.

Shanto also criticized media outlets for spreading disinformation during the 2013 crackdown. “They (Media) demonized Hefazat and Jamaat-Shibir activists, falsely accusing them of burning Qurans and destroying trees. These narratives alienated religious communities and legitimized the killings. The media shares responsibility for obstructing justice.”