At the strike-bound Dhaka University (DU), thousands of students, teachers and civil society members, wearing black badges, their faces and eyes covered with black cloth, took out protest processions and vented their outrage at rallies.

Political parties, cultural and human rights activists, civil society and professional bodies, eminent personalities and conscious citizens all closed ranks in condemning the atrocity through various programmes.

Writers, littérateurs and cultural activists, in conjunction with several left-leaning parties, have also called a countrywide protest programme today including a large rally in front of the Central Shaheed Minar at 3pm.

Addressing a rally organised by Dhaka University (DU) Bangla department on the varsity campus yesterday noon, former president AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury said there was no need for bringing a no-confidence motion in parliament. "The people themselves have brought no-confidence against you. If you have morality, then resign," he advised the BNP-led coalition government.

"The people of the country won't pardon you if anything happened to Humayun Azad. This government will be held responsible," warned the ex-president.

Condemning the attack, he said, "Dr Azad was attacked in the month of February. This government is cruel, undemocratic and barbaric. It came clear after the attack on Prof Azad."

Left-leaning 11-party alliance held a protest rally at Purana Paltan in the afternoon. Speaking at the meeting, alliance leaders including Mujahidul Islam Selim, Rashed Khan Menon and Khaliquzzaman blasted the government for trying to extract political benefit out of the atrocity by blaming the opposition for it, instead of taking adequate steps to bring the attackers to book.

At a protest rally on Bangabandhu Avenue following a procession yesterday afternoon, leaders of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Inu) said the attack was not a detached episode. They accused some specific members of the ruling coalition of being complicit in the crime.

The JSD will bring out a black-flag procession and hold a rally to protest the attack at Muktangon at 3pm today.

At the DU speakers at different rallies demanded immediate resignation of Home Minister Altaf Hossain for his failure to nab the culprits in the three days after the crime. They also demanded an hourly news bulletin on Azad's condition at the Combined Military Hospital.

The DU Teachers Association (DUTA) took out a silent procession that ended at the Central Shaheed Minar and held there a public meeting. The DUTA leaders and DU teachers, who have been refraining from taking classes since Saturday, also demanded immediate resignation of the home minister.

The DUTA will stage a token sit in today on the campus.

Among others, Awami League's student wing Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), Bangladesh Chhatra Union, Bangladesh Chhatra Moitry (BCM), JSD-backed BCL, Samajtantrik Chhatra Front, Progatishil Chhatra Jote (PCJ), DU Sangskritik Oikya, Jatiya Chhatra Samaj, Progressive Teachers' Forum, Humayun Azad Mancha, DU Officers' Association, BUET Teachers' Association and students of the Fine Arts Institute staged demonstrations.

The JSD-backed BCL has called strike at all educational institutions in the country on March 3. It will bring out a black-flag procession today.

The BCM will also stage countrywide demonstration today and will bring out black-flag processions at all educational institutions on March 3.

The PCJ will bring out protest processions and hold rallies at all the educational institutions in every district today.

Political and other organisations who issued statements yesterday condemning the attack and demanding speedy punishment of the attackers include Bangladesh Society for the Enforcement of Human Rights, Muslim League of Bangladesh, Bangladesh Medical Association, Association of Development Agencies in Bangladesh, Federation of NGOs in Bangladesh, Bangladesh Ainjibi Sammanay Parishad, Bangladesh Sampradayik Samprity Parishad, Oikyabaddha Nagorik Andalan, South Asian People's Union against Fundamentalism and Communalism, Bangladesh Ganotantrik Ainjibi Samity, Teacher's Association of Jahangirnagar University, Centre for Women Journalists Bangladesh and Bangladesh Charushilpi Sangsad.

Prof Azad still unconscious Prominent writer Prof Humayun Azad was yet to break his anaesthesia-induced unconsciousness two days into a life-threatening machete attack on him, but officials claimed he drifted back to consciousness

Hasina for neutral people's probe Leader of the Opposition Sheikh Hasina yesterday accused the cadres of ruling-coalition partner Jamaat-e-Islami for the attack on prominent writer Humayun Azad, saying the freethinker drew the wrath of