Noman Sabit: In support of Bangladeshi students protesting for the quota reform, protest rallies were held in different states of the United States including New York on the initiative of various organizations including civil society. On Thursday (July 18) afternoon local time, two separate incidents occurred in Time Square and Jackson Heights in Manhattan, New York. The untoward incident took place when extreme tension spread in the two areas in the presence of the police. Protesters attacked a Bangladeshi journalist in Time Square. The police took him into safe custody to protect him from the attackers. Police arrest woman at Jackson Heights rally.
It is known that an organization called Bangla Blockade USA organized a protest rally at Time Square in Manhattan, New York on Thursday afternoon. More than two thousand people gathered there and started chanting anti-government slogans in support of the protesting students of Bangladesh. Hasanuzzaman Saki, a journalist of Time TV, was attacked by the protestors when he went to make a video about the situation there. However, the protestors claimed that Saki organizers were mentioned as BNP Jamaat activists and the organizers got angry. At one point, Saki quickly ran away to the police when he shouted at him that he was a fake. Police later took him in his wife’s car three blocks away to his parked car.
In response to the question why the journalist was attacked, Abdullah Tamjid, one of the organizers, said that Hasanuzzaman Saki, a journalist of Time TV, started making videos without talking to any of the organizers. He referred to everyone as BNP-Jamaat activists. As a result, many people got excited and chased him calling him fake, he ran away and took refuge with the police.
In this regard, when the injured journalist Hasanuzzaman Saki was contacted by phone, he said that since there is no internet in Bangladesh, especially in Dhaka. There was no situation to live despite the desire. Live requires a cameraman or a tripod. My tripod was in the car. It was not taken down. I have not mentioned any of them as BNP-Jamaat activists. I am in favor of quota reforms, so my wife also went there. By attacking me, they are now creating fiction.
Meanwhile, in the evening, a protest rally was held at the invitation of the civil society in Jackson Heights, New York. Tension was created when the Awami League procession entered the same place during the rally. The police had to struggle to stop the excitement of both. At this time, the police arrested a woman and took her away. His exact identity is yet to be found.
Speakers strongly condemned and expressed anger at all kinds of violence from these gatherings. They demanded exemplary punishment for student killings and urged the government to accept the just demand of quota reform.
These programs continue to be held in various campuses including Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, University of North Carolina Charlotte, Kent State University, Michigan State University, University of Alabama Birmingham, Ohio State University, University of Iowa.
Meanwhile, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington DC, Virginia, Massachusetts, Connecticut, California, Texas, Florida, Ohio, Illinois, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, South Carolina, Washington and Kentucky are the most populated and Bangladeshi-infested states in the United States. Protest rallies have been organized at various places on the initiative of civil society. Conscious civil society of the United States has called for a siege of the consulate office in New York tomorrow Friday.
BP/SM
