Editorial Desk :
Bangladesh politics has become highly confrontational, often violent, between the ruling Awami League and the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party across the country. The BNP has long been demanding formation of a Caretaker Government for holding free, fair and inclusive general elections due to be held in December or in January next year, as they consider elections under the AL government are not trustworthy.
Though ironic, the AL, which had brought in and scrapped the caretaker system, is now vehemently reluctant to bring it back. The party’s top leaders have brushed aside the demand for a caretaker government to hold next parliamentary elections at different public meetings. Rather, they are determined to hold the elections under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. However, almost all other political parties, except those that had fought the last election under a seat-sharing deal, have strongly rejected it, indicating that they wouldn’t join any election under Sheikh Hasina.
As the next election approaches, it is becoming increasingly clearer that the promises of a “level playing field” for the opposition are nothing beyond mere rhetoric. In the latest incident on Tuesday, police foiled a BNP’s pre-scheduled peaceful road march programme in the capital’s Science Laboratory area. During the clashes, at least 100 BNP activists and 10 police personnel were reportedly injured. Police detained 38 BNP men from the area. The law enforcers also foiled another road march the same day in Rajshahi and allegedly also locked the party’s city unit office there.
BNP rallies in at least four districts have also been foiled allegedly by members of the ruling party and law enforcement agencies. According to media reports, at least 40 people were injured in Khulna and 30 in Patuakhali with the police using firearms and tear gas shells during clashes between AL and BNP activists. It was further alleged that members of the ruling party, aided by police, attacked the processions in Rajbari, Netrakona and Mymensingh.
The government is threatening the opposition with greater violence to counter the clashes going on between the opposition and the police almost every day. The government wants police to be more brutal. The government appears to be confident that it can use party workers. There will be no consideration on the part of the police that they are paid by the people to protect them. Other than police support the government has its own well-organised thugs who will go into violent retaliation and there will be police to help and save them.
In other words the government will not agree to the popular demand of free election come what may. The government is fully aware of the people’s anger and unless there is international involvement bloodbath is obvious. There is corruption as a big factor. Those who have been benefited by corruption with protection of the government they have vested interest in continuance of the government. Short of mass uprising against the government there is no hope for the people to have a peaceful resolution the crisis.
We do not know what will be role of India our close neighbour. The foreign minister made clear the present government’s dependence on India. He said openly that he asked the government of India to help them stay in power for another term. To the best of our knowledge the foreign minister’s claim has not been denounced.
We are worried that our people need help to save them from the looming danger of violence waiting to happen.
