Anisul Islam Noor :
Political situation in the country is becoming volatile overnight in the wake of the
verdict in Zia orphanage case tomorrow (February 8) involving BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and some other party leaders.
Police are arresting BNP leaders and workers in the capital and throughout the
country and is issuing public warning through press release and TV footage asking people to remain peaceful.
It is asking people not to carry sticks, knife and such other explosive materials. They are also warning people against creating barricade or holding rallies on city streets and public places in the wake of the verdict.
Police are carrying security checks in city streets setting up check posts at important intersections creating sudden panic in public mind. Al such preparations are afoot facing the verdict in the graft case but many wonder what the verdict itself is?
The judge presiding over the Special Tribunal at the old city will give the verdict on
Thursday in open court but the government preparation suggests that they know in advance that BNP chief will be prosecuted in the case and jailed. So, preemptive measures are needed in the city and all over to maintain public order.
ON the other hand, BNP claims the prosecution witnesses have failed to prove involvement of Begum Zia in the graft and in fact it is not a case to be tried under criminal act for being a case involving charitable organization. The Prosecution lawyers have also failed to prove her guilt and in their view Begum Zia will be acquitted from the charges.
What makes people to be quite surprised is that before the verdict is pronounced, how the government and the ruling party men know that Begum Zia will be prosecuted and sent to jail. So the government is taking all preparations to quell the unrest that may result from the verdict.
The tension in the public life is already creating many setbacks. The stock market has plunged sending shock waves to small investors. Families in cities are living in tension as to whether their sons and brothers are ending in police detention. Police are carrying raids to homes of opposition workers and leaders. The law and order situation is on the brink. The rule of law is not working.
In fact the nation is facing volatile situation from the start of the year as parliament election is scheduled for the year-end in December. The government has started campaigning while the ruling party is bent upon blocking the opposition from going into election campaign.
The government fears that some people may take the situation hostage to create unrest. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khna denied police are arresting opposition leaders and workers. He said the arrested are anarchists and their detention will help maintain public order.
Educationist Professor Emaz Uddin said, “We do not want to see the recurrence of violent acts that the country witnessed before and during the last parliament elections held in January2014.”
“Such untoward incidents badly affect us. We just want the government to fulfill the basic needs of the people,” he told The New Nation.
MA Mannan, owner of apparel merchandise in Dhaka, said that they heard a group of have planned to trigger untoward incidents in educational institutions, garment industry and other areas to tarnish the image of Bangladesh at home and abroad.
Ruling Awami League leaders, however, say they are ready to tackle any attempt to create any anarchic situation in the country. “We are analysing the situation. If any quarter tries to create unrest, the party and the government will resist them to ensure security of the people,” said Abdur Razzaque former minister and AL presidium member.
AL insiders say they are analysing the potential aftermath of the verdict as “conspiracies are work at home and abroad to tarnish the country’s image.”
They say they are also trying to foresee whether the verdict will spark uproar or not.
