BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday said that police inaction to prevent the clashes between shopkeepers and Dhaka College students in the city’s New Market area has proved there is no government in the country.
“This government has become a completely failed government, and it has also turned the country into a failed state. The two sides fought for hours in front of their (police’s) eyes, but they didn’t take any steps to stop the clashes,” he said.
Talking to reporters at BNP founder Ziaur Rahman’s grave, Fakhrul said police officers justified their action by saying that they played a neutral role.
“Playing a neutral role they helped deepen the problem and escalate the clashes. Police’s inactive role is responsible for the violent clashes and the loss of lives,” he added.
Earlier, Fakhrul along with the leaders of the new partial committee of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) paid homage to Zia by placing a wreath at his grave.
At least 40 people were injured as a group of Dhaka College students and shopkeepers in the New Market area fought pitched battles on Tuesday following an altercation at a fast food shop on Monday night.
Later, two injured people–courier service employee Nahid Hasan and shop employee Morsalin–died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Tuesday and early Thursday.
Fakhrul alleged that the current Awami League government has obliterated democracy in a planned way after ‘usurping’ the state power by force.
He also alleged that the government has completely failed to run the country and establish a democratic system. “This illegitimate government has snatched people’s voting rights. The students are also being deprived of their basic right to get education at minimum cost.”
The BNP leader also alleged that the law and order and economic situation have collapsed because of widespread corruption..
He said the government should step down immediately and hand over power to a neutral government, paving the way for holding an acceptable and participatory election.
By paying homage to Zia, the BNP leader said the new JCD committee has taken a vow they will turn the BNP’s student wing into a very strong and dynamic organisation for the ‘restoration’ of democracy.
He hoped that the JCD partial committee will form a full-fledged committee within a short time and reorganise their organisation across the country to intensify the movement for the unconditional release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail and the ‘restoration’ of democracy and people’s voting and other rights.
Source: United News of Bangladesh