Al Mamun Harun Ur Rashid :
The recent incidents of crude bomb attacks and bus arson in Dhaka and other parts of the country have sparked outrage, with citizens and political leaders accusing the ousted Awami League of resorting to its old tactic of creating chaos and fear to disrupt national stability.
People across the country are furious after innocent lives were lost in the latest isolated incidents of violence.
Many have begun capturing and handing over suspected miscreants to the police, vowing not to allow a repeat of the terror that claimed hundreds of lives during last year’s mass uprising.
Political parties and the public alike believe that the Awami League, after being driven from power, is once again trying to destabilise the nation through sabotage and anarchy ahead of the verdict of Sheikh Hasina and
the upcoming parliamentary election.
Meanwhile, a tragic example came early Tuesday morning when masked attackers set fire to a bus in Mymensingh’s Fulbari area, killing its driver, 40-year-old Zulhas Mia, who was asleep inside.
CCTV footage shows the culprits fleeing within seconds of igniting the bus.
Police have retrieved the footage and are working to identify those responsible.
Miscreants also torched a bus at Sutrapur area in the capital on Tuesday evening.
Fire fighters tamed the fire while no one was hurt.
Authorities have reassured the public that there is no reason to panic.
Security has been tightened across the capital, with police and army personnel manning check posts at Agargaon, Panthapath, Abdullahpur, Gabtoli, Sayedabad, and the main entry points to Dhaka.
Vehicles and passengers are being thoroughly checked to avert further attacks.
Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said some isolated acts of sabotage were being observed ahead of November 13, the date of the Awami League’s announced “lockdown”.
He confirmed that a transport worker had already been killed in these attacks. “Law enforcement agencies are investigating each case seriously to identify and prosecute those involved,” he said.
Alam described the attempts to create panic as an assault on the democratic process. “This fascist political party is proving again that violence is its addiction.
But the national election will take place in the first half of February, and no domestic or foreign force will be able to stop it,” he asserted.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali also urged residents to stay calm and united.
“There is no reason for panic. The people of Dhaka will resist any subversive activity by the Awami League,” he told reporters at a press briefing on Tuesday.
The DMP chief said a large number of police and other law enforcement personnel will be deployed throughout the city to ensure peace and security.
He advised citizens to remain vigilant, avoid sheltering strangers, and verify the identity of anyone renting motorcycles or vehicles to prevent misuse by miscreants.
He reported that 17 cases had been filed and 50 people arrested in the past 24 hours in connection with recent explosions.
Since October, a banned political party and its affiliates have organised 14 flash processions and carried out 17 cocktail blasts in Dhaka, torching nine vehicles in just two days. In total, 552 suspects have been detained since October.
CCTV footage, he said, shows the attackers wearing helmets and masks, often striking at dawn or during rush hours.
“We have found that underage boys are being used to detonate the cocktails,” he added.
Meanwhile, Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury assured the public that the situation surrounding the AL’s “Dhaka Lockdown” would remain under control.
Speaking after a law and order meeting, he said, “There is no cause for concern.”
He confirmed that law enforcement agencies are on high alert, with expanded patrols and security measures at key sites including metro stations, rail terminals, and tribunal areas.
“Any subversive activity will be dealt with decisively,” he warned, urging citizens to report suspicious movements immediately.
