In a highly rowdy situation Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s convoy came under attack allegedly by followers of ruling party men as he was visiting Ichhakhali area in Rangunia to meet landslide victims in the hilly Chittagong district. It was not an electioneering campaign, the BNP leader went there to stand by the devastated people who lost scores of family members and many are still living in open air without enough relief and rehabilitation. This type of gutless attack carried out on a high profile political leader is no doubt unacceptable and also highly condemnable.
It can’t be the case that leaders of the opposition can’t visit and stand by affected people; the country does not belong to the ruling party alone or any such group. Whatever be the cause of tension among local party men, the opposition leaders deserve protection like ruling party MPs and other government leaders.
The government cannot escape responsibility for the failure of containing violence on the leaders of the opposition. Nobody will believe that the attack was not organised politically by the ruling party men. It is for the government to remove that impression by exposing the attackers and punishing them.
Violence and intolerance is not politics and it is easy to resort to violence even without police protection. Any responsible political party believing in democracy will surely ensure peaceful politics for the opposition.
Since the allegations are directed against ruling party goons, so it’s upto the government and law enforcement agencies to find out why did the attack take place and who were responsible for it. It offers an opportunity to the government to prove neutrality and distance itself from the violent elements.
Our earnest request to all is to shun violent politics. Any irresponsible person cannot be brutal. Politics is for responsible people to be able to govern the country peacefully. Do not make politics the activities of violent elements.
