The chaos created by the leaders and activists of the ruling party in the tourist city of Cox's Bazar Sunday over an attempt-to-murder case is despicable. Through this, they not only brought Cox's Bazar city to a standstill for four hours, but also pushed thousands of tourists into great misery.
According to various media reports, thousands of supporters of the mayor took to the streets in the evening when news spread that the mayor and district Awami League general secretary Mujibur Rahman was the main accused in the case. They set fire to tyres on the city's main road. Several thousand shops on both sides of the road were closed. Roadblocks were set up for an indefinite period.
However, the blockade was lifted at 9.30 pm after a meeting of the district administration with local Awami League leaders. But the employees of Cox's Bazar pourashava stopped providing all kinds of services till 2:00 pm Monday.
Hundreds of shops and businesses on the beach and hotels and motels were closed in the evening due to the sudden blockade. More than 50,000 tourists visiting the beach have been affected by the closure of hotels and restaurants. Hundreds of long-distance buses were stranded as tyres were set on fire at various places on the road and barricades were created with municipal garbage trucks.
A case of attempt-to-murder was registered at Cox's Bazar Sadar Model Police Station on Sunday afternoon after former district BCL leader Monaf Sikder was shot on the night of 28 October. The case was filed by Monaf Sikder's elder brother Shahjahan. The number one accused in the case was Mujibur Rahman, the mayor of the municipality and general secretary of the district Awami League. The mayor believes that the rival faction of the Awami League has filed this case to defame him politically.
The question is, if there is a case is filed on somebody, should the city be brought to a halt? Even if the case was false, the court is the appropriate place to prove its veracity. If anyone wants to protest, it has to be done in a democratic manner, nothing can be done that disrupts public life. In the name of protesting against the case, those who have paralysed the city have flouted law and disrupted the normal life of the people.
On the other hand, the officials and employees of Cox's Bazar municipality have added to the sufferings of people. They violated government service rules by going on strike from Sunday night to 2:00pm on Monday. Creating anarchy is not the job of the officials and employees of the municipality.
Not only in Cox's Bazar, but all over the country, public life is being disrupted due to internal disputes between the Awami League and associate bodies. Chittagong Medical College has been closed indefinitely due to a fight between two factions of BCL.
This situation cannot continue. Those who have created anarchy in Cox's Bazar in the name of protest should be brought under the law immediately. At the same time, local administrations and law enforcement agencies need to be more vigilant in order to maintain peace and security in the tourist city. It is not acceptable to be discriminatory while enforcing the law.