The announcement came at the divisional convention of the forum held at the city's Central Shahid Minar premises yesterday.

However, the hartal declared earlier for October 9 has been called off.

Vice-Chairman of the Bangladesh Bar Council Barrister Amir-Ul Islam, addressing the convention, said the Awami League government had passed the Vested Property (Return) Act in parliament. But the present government stayed its execution with an ill-motive, putting the minority community in trouble.

Expressing his total support to the movement that started from Sylhet against the anti-humanity law, Barrister Amir said the government should immediately scrap the anti-people law.

He also asked the authorities to cancel the lease of the historic Singha Bari, which the district administration did without any lawful authority.

Economist Dr Mohammad Abul Barkat said the vested property law is a death trap for the minority. Almost all the 10 lakh Hindu families in the country were somehow or other oppressed by the law, he added. He called upon all to join the movement for the cause of humanity.

The speakers also called upon the government to withdraw the deputy commissioner of Sylhet, who had illegally leased out the historic Singha Bari and had misbehaved with the leaders of the movement on several occasions.

The Sylhet District Bar General Secretary EU Shahidul Islam conducted the convention while Sylhet City Corporation Mayor Badar Uddin Ahmed Kamran chaired. Member-Secretary Lokman Ahmed read out the convention declaration.