It was assumed that after the verdict of the Supreme Court there would be a peaceful and logical end to the quota reform movement of the students. And, normalcy would be restored all over the country including the educational institutions. The eight-point demand presented by the students also mentioned immediate opening of the universities and the safety of the general students.
Notably, there have been over 200 deaths and several thousand injuries from clashes and bullets fired by the law and order enforcement agencies during the quota reform movement. Besides, extensive amount of state properties were also destroyed.
We had expected that the government would take initiative to resolve the crisis quickly through a discussion with the protesting students for rapid improvement of the situation. The ministers had given such indications also. But with grave concern we noticed that various tactics were adopted to create division among the protesters.
The question is, if the law and order enforcement forces can take anyone away like this or not? The Detective Branch as an excuse cited that the father of one of the coordinators had expressed concern over their (the coordinators) safety.
Meanwhile, there are allegations that quite a few people including one of the main coordinators of the movement, Nahid Islam had been picked up from their homes and then tortured.
The incident that followed is even more concerning. Three of the coordinators who were undergoing treatment at the hospital, were taken away to the headquarters of the Detective Branch (DB) without allowing their treatment to be complete.
Additional commissioner of the Detective Branch (DB), Harun-or-Rashid claimed that they have been taken there for the sake of their own safety. Although there’s no such evidence that any of the coordinators have sought protection. There’s enough reason to consider the matter of their being taken to the DB office involuntarily.
The question is, if the law and order enforcement forces, can take anyone away like this or not? The Detective Branch as an excuse cited that the father of one of the coordinators had expressed concern over their (the coordinators) safety.
It’s clear that their concerns are actually regarding the law and order enforcement forces themselves. For, it’s them who are accused of picking and beating up a coordinator after all.
There has been an announcement of the sort that the protesting students have withdrawn their programmes. But, why did that come at a time when they are under ‘protective custody’ at the DB headquarters?
If they wanted to call off the programmes at their own will, they would have done it outdoors from the university campus or from some other location. Clearly, there’s no honest motive behind taking the six coordinators away to DB headquarters and spreading footages of them having meal on the social media.
Seeking a directive on the release of six ‘detained’ coordinators of the anti-discrimination student movement and not shooting protesters at different locations of the country, two of the Supreme Court lawyers, Manjur Al Matin Pritom and Aynunnahar Siddiqa filed a writ petition on Monday.
On this issue, a bench formed with Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice SM Masud Hossain Dolon calling attention of the state said, “Who told you to do so? Why did you do it? Do not ridicule the nation. Whoever you detain, you make them dine on the table.”
The government on one hand is calling out the students to withdraw their programmes while continuing all the efforts of creating a sense of fear among them on the other. Keeping a few of the coordinators detained at the DB headquarters is supposed to instill fear among other coordinators as well. This is not the way to normalise the situation or gaining the trust of the students.
If the government is to normalise the situation, they have to move away from the policy of using force right now. They have to move away from the policy of saying something and taking a different path of action in actuality. This is the only way to create an environment of trust.