Planned effort on to create destabilisation: Chief adviser’s press wing

The government thinks a vested quarter is trying to create instability in the country in a planned way. Dhaka city saw incidents of clashes in different places in the last two days, which the government sees as a part of a larger plan.

Two advisers to the interim government -- information and broadcasting adviser Nahid Islam and local government adviser Asif Mahmud Shojib Bhuyain --spoke at a news briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital on Monday evening about the ongoing situation in the country.

The briefing was organised by the chief adviser’s press wing. The briefing said that the government will take legal action against those involved in attacks, vandalism and beatings. Such activities will not be tolerated.

Replying to a question, information adviser Nahid Islam said so many incidents in a single day (on Monday) cannot be coincidental if there was no massive plan. The government thinks there are different plans of different groups as many do not want the government to run smoothly. The fallen fascist government is carrying out propaganda in different ways and there is an organised effort to destabilise the country.

Nahid urged the people with “spirit of revolution” to act positively.

“Political and cultural groups have a role to play here,” he added.

Earlier, on Monday afternoon, several hundred students of Shaheed Suhrawardy College and Kabi Nazrul College went about six kilometers away and carried out a massive attack and vandalism on Mahbubur Rahman Molla College in Jatrabari.

At one stage, chases and clashes ensued between students of Mahbubur Rahman Molla College and students of Shaheed Suhrawardy College and Kabi Nazrul College.

Earlier, on Sunday, students of Mahbubur Rahman Molla College carried out massive vandalism and looting at National Medical College and Shaheed Suhrawardy College in Old Dhaka.

The attack was carried out following allegations that a student of this college died due to wrong treatment. Students of Suhrawardy and Nazrul Colleges retaliated to the attack on Monday.

In the wake of the situation, the chief adviser’s press wing organised a press briefing in the evening.

While replying to a question on whether the government had any negligence in Monday’s incidents, Asif Mahmud said, “If the police had maintained its previous practice, the students would have retaliated. A different situation could have arisen had the police taken action. At first the police tried to prevent the student but it did not work. The police and army tried to prevent the incident till the end. Legal action would be taken against those involved with vandalism and attack.”

Asked whether the government sees any instigation in yesterday’s incident, Asif Mahmud said much information is coming but any comment cannot be made before proper investigation.

Nahid Islam was asked about any possible failure of law enforcers in preventing the clash. He admitted that police had failed to take proper action. The police force has been undergoing a reform process. The situation could have turned worse had police confronted so many students. This might be the reason that prevented police from locking in confrontation with students.

However, the police and army men later went to the spot to bring the situation under control. There was a reshuffle in police to make the force more effective and the process will continue.

Adviser Nahid Islam said that there has been a big change in the police (new appointments as police chief and Dhaka police commissioner). Plans are being made to bring about changes in the administration to end the stagnation.

The issue of detention of Bangladesh Sammilito Sanatani Jagran Jote spokesperson Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari was also discussed during the briefing.

In response to a question, the chief adviser’s press secretary Shafiqul Alam said that the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) will inform the media about this. However, what they know is that he has been detained and there is a case against him at the Kotwali police station.

In response to another question, the press secretary said that there is a plan to form a reform commission on the education sector. However, he could not give a time frame for this.

Before this briefing, the chief adviser’s press secretary Shafiqul Alam told BSS that the government urges students to remain calm and not get involved in clashes. Any attempt to create instability will be dealt with strictly.