Staff Reporter :
The speakers on Saturday demanded Tk 10 crore as compensation for Jahalam, who was released recently from jail after three years in prison in spite of being innocent.
The state and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) cannot avoid the responsibility for the “cruel and inhuman behaviour” to Jahalam, they said.
The speakers also urged the government to identify the persons responsible for the whole situation so that nobody becomes victim like him.
They said this at a human chain held in front of the National Museum in the Shahbag organised by Sammilito Samajik Andolon (SSA)on Saturday.
A jute mills worker, Jahalam languished in jail since February 2016 in
corruption cases whereas the real accused was free to move anywhere he wished . He was, however, released from Kashimpur Central Jail-2 in Gazipur on February 4 after the High Court exempted him from the charges on the previous day.
Mamunur Rashid, Finance Secretary of the SSA, read out a written statement during the programme conducted by Saleh Ahmed, General Secretary of the organisation.
“We can’t understand how a national organisation like the ACC accused Jahalam instead of Salek… It is urgent to find out if there was any ill-attempt to hide the real culprit. We also demand Tk 10 crore compensation for Jahalam immediately,” the statement read.
Professor Robayet Ferdous of Dhaka University said, “Although there was no similarity with the given information, Jahalam was suppressed only based on the concept of similarity with the photo of the accused… Could ACC give him (Jahalam) back those three years he lost from his life?”
Zia Uddin Tarek Ali, President of the SSA, said, “The state and the ACC can’t avoid the responsibility for the cruel and inhuman behaviour inflicted on Jahalam. We demand proper compensation for this. Otherwise, we will take to the streets again.”
He also urged the countrymen to raise their voice seeking justice for Jahalam.
