Ranga apologises for his remarks

Jatiya Party Secretary General Mashiur Rahman Ranga has apologized for his remarks about Noor Hossain, a young pro-democracy activist who sacrificed his life to end the autocratic regime of HM Ershad.

The Jatiya Party secretary general expressed his apology to the countrymen for his remarks on Monday night.

He told risingbd over mobile phone “I said “who was Noor Hossain? An addict... a yaba abuser, a phensedyl abuser. It was my slip of tongue, actually at that time there was no yaba and   phensedyl in the country.  I am now withdrawing my speech, I regret the mistake”.

Earlier, staging a sit-in in front of Jatiya Press Club on Monday, Noor Hossain’s family members demanded that the JP lawmaker must apologise for his remarks.

On Sunday, Ranga reportedly said, “Who was Noor Hossain? An addict... a yaba abuser, a phensedyl abuser.” A video clip of his speech went viral on social media.
The country on Sunday observed Shaheed Noor Hossain Day. On November 10 in 1987, Noor Hossain sacrificed his life to end the autocratic regime of HM Ershad.

Noor Hossain was killed when police opened fire near Zero Point in the city while participating in a pro-democracy procession.

He had the slogan “Swairachar nipat jak, Ganatantra mukti pak” (Down with autocracy, let democracy be freed) inscribed on his chest and back when a bullet pierced through his body.
His death strengthened the movement.

Dhaka/Noimuddin/Mukul