BNP urges all to stay alert, Jamaat calls for patience

The top leadership of BNP has called on everyone to remain "alert and vigilant" in the wake of various incidents, including clashes and conflicts in Dhaka, Chattogram and several parts of the country.

Jamaat-e-Islami has made a similar call. Leaders of both parties believe that a "dictatorship" and its allies, both inside and outside the country, are conspiring behind the scenes to instigate these incidents.

For several days, the situation has been unstable due to various events, such as road blockades in the capital, student clashes, gatherings of people from outside Dhaka at Shahbagh, and protests near the offices of two leading newspapers.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, in the court area of Chattogram, law enforcement forces and lawyers clashed with followers of Sammilita Sanatani Jagoran Jote spokesperson Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari.

During the incident, a lawyer named Saiful Islam was killed. BNP policymakers have expressed extreme concern over these successive incidents.

The party’s Secretary General, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, told Prothom Alo last night, "We believe that the defeated fascist group is plotting to erase the achievements of the student-people’s revolution.

This incident is completely unwarranted. We strongly condemn and protest against it. At the same time, we urge everyone to approach the situation calmly."

Jamaat-e-Islami has demanded justice for the murder, referring to the slain lawyer as a "dear party colleague."

In a statement, Jamaat Ameer Shafiqur Rahman condemned the brutal murder, calling it a heinous crime. He further stated that a vested quarters is continuously plotting with ulterior motives to destabilise Bangladesh by supporting a fallen dictatorship. They aim to create unrest through provocative activities.

That quarter's attempts have failed in the past and will fail in the future, the Jamaat Ameer stated in the announcement.

He called on the authorities to take stringent legal action against those involved in the murder, adding that Saiful Islam's sacrifice for the country would be remembered.

Shafiqur Rahman urged party members, students, and patriotic citizens to exercise maximum patience in the face of any provocation and to avoid taking the law into their own hands under any circumstances.

Responsible sources within BNP reported that the overall situation in the country, including law and order, was discussed during the BNP standing committee meeting last Monday night.

BNP believes that the recent protests by various groups and sectors, driven by different demands, are creating a sense of disorder in the country.

However, the party contends that there has been no visible action taken by the government to address this. According to BNP policymakers, this lack of response is causing anxiety among the public, which is ultimately harming the interim government's credibility.

At the standing committee meeting, members discussed issues such as the road blockade by battery-run rickshaw drivers in the capital, student clashes, and protests surrounding Prothom Alo and The Daily Star. They expressed concern about the overall situation.

BNP policy-making leaders believe that allies of the fallen Awami League government are deliberately provoking certain incidents, and that the government is unable to manage them effectively.

They argued that had the government maintained closer contact with political parties, such situations could have been avoided. In many instances, the government’s flexible attitude has encouraged anarchy.

Despite fears that a conspiracy or violent situation could develop, the government has failed to take firm action.

BNP leaders also observed that, after the formation of the interim government, political parties - including BNP - made several proposals, but the government did not consider them seriously.

They pointed out that Awami League affiliates still hold influential positions within the administration. The government has been repeatedly warned that maintaining "friends" of the fallen Awami League government in key positions makes it difficult to restore order, yet it has ignored these warnings.

Yesterday, BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir spoke at separate events in Sylhet and Dhaka, respectively.

In the Sylhet programme, Tarique Rahman stated that those who benefited during the previous dictatorship are continuing their conspiracies. He said, "You must remain vigilant and cautious. Even though the dictatorship has fallen, its remnants are still conspiring. Do not think that they are inactive."

In the Dhaka programme, Mirza Fakhrul Islam, referring to the violent incidents in the capital over the last two days, said, "Today, many people are feeling a little scared, a little worried when they see the situation unfolding across the country... What is happening?"

He continued, "The reality is... our enemies who have retreated from the front are now destabilising the country from behind. We must remain very vigilant."