Gun toting AL men destroying peace

IN a filmy episode Mayor of Shahzadpur Upazila Parishad Halimul Haque Miru has shot and killed the local Correspondent of a national daily on Friday as he was collecting news of a clash between two Awami League factions. He shot the fire in support of his faction that killed the Correspondent. Abdul Hakim Shimul died on the way to hospital. The clash ensued as a sequel to an earlier assault in which his younger brother was involved. The Mayor is also the Organizing Secretary of Sirajgong district Awami League.

It appears that the gun toting ruling party men are extremely loath to peace and public order but their violence has taken the innocent life of a newsman for no fault of his own except the fact that he was foolishly unmindful of his safety. The most shocking is that police on spot were silent as the violence continued. They were apparently guarding the Mayor and then helped him escaping from the scene following the shoot out.

We must say such policemen must be ashamed of their identity as policemen while compromising the dignity of their uniform taking side in local matters in exchange of money or benefitting otherwise under the shelter of powerful party leaders. Police have been recruited to serve the people and maintain peace; they are not for guarding individual party man and to become their paid agents. But all such chaotic and unruly activities of party men essentially owe their origin to unruly politics of Awami League at all levels. They don’t believe in discipline and decency; they believe in the strength of muscle power instead of moral strength.

In just one-week ruling party factions reportedly fought in at least five places rendering some of their men dead and fatally injured. Most party leaders and workers now possess pistol or shotguns to become some kind of mentally unfit persons to shoot and kill anyone on slightest pretext. The party must bear responsibility of all such incidents, because it is not effectively calling for restraint while criminals are enjoying impunity from being punished.

It is so sad that the newsman was killed. We protest the unruly trigger-happy psyche of the ruling party leaders and workers as we mourn the death of the ill-fated newsman. It was perhaps beyond his comprehension that a public representative like the Mayor would use the shoot gun on his opponents. Awami League (AL) lawmaker of Sirajganj-6 constituency Hasibur Rahman Swapan publicly blamed the Mayor for the shooting at his Namaz-e-Janaza and like him we also demand his immediate arrest and punishment.

It is natural; protest has flared up in the district and throughout northern region. Transports were off the road on Saturday and business and educational establishments were closed. Journalists are agitating all over. But it is unacceptable when police say they are yet to arrest the Mayor.