'Game kicks off, not in field, but in opponents’ houses

Addressing Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the leaders of Awami League said, “There will be a game”. And within a few days the ‘game’ has started.

Until now, we believed that the game of politics is played on the streets. The ruling party and the oppositions hold massive rallies to manifest their power and popularity. In addition to identifying the flaws of the opponents, political parties declare their own programmes and plans in these public meetings.

However, this time, we are observing that the game is not being played on the streets. It is being played in the houses and offices of the opponents or at any other convenient place.

In protest against price hike and the death of two party activists, the BNP planned to stage a countrywide protest rally. However, during the protest, the house of central BNP leader and former MP Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee in Gohata area of Lakshmipur came under attack last Monday.

There are allegations that leaders and activists of local Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League, led by Awami League leader Kabir Patwary, carried out the attack. Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Anee’s brother Arif Chowdhury, son Shahrian Chowdhury and the caretaker of the house were injured in the attack.

Shahid Uddin Chowdhury was addressing a rally in Sadar upazila when the attack was being carried out. The attackers were aware that Shahid Uddin Chowdhury was not at home at that time. Carrying out an attack despite knowing that is a cowardly act.

The incident that occurred in Gournadi of Barishal is even more startling. There, the leaders and activists of Jubo League and Chhatra League swooped on the members of local Jubo Dal, soon after receiving the information that BNP might call for a protest rally. The four injured in the attack have been admitted to Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College and Hospital.

On last Monday, the leaders and activists of local Awami League, Jubo League and Chhatra League attacked a protest rally organised by BNP. Later, police intervened and brought the situation under control.

The Awami League has adopted a dual strategy to thwart BNP’s programmes. The first of these is to carry out attacks at houses or offices of BNP leaders or vandalising the place of demonstration. The second one is declaring programmes at places where the BNP have called for a demonstration, resulting in chaos in that area.

On Tuesday, Awami League and BNP declared programmes at the same place in Taltali of Barguna, Dumki of Patuakhali and Parshuram of Feni. Following that, the upazila administrations in respective areas imposed section 144. However, they didn’t try to find out who declared the programme first and who wanted to thwart the opposition's pre-scheduled activities.

Was there any lack of space in those respective areas that Awami League had to give a programme at the same time at the same place? This is called instigating someone into a clash. However, apart from instigating the opponents into a clash, Awami League has also sent several activists of the oppositions to hospitals.

A few days ago, when prime minister Sheikh Hasina declared that the opposition would be able to hold meetings and rallies without any obstruction and arrests, the people of the country became somewhat hopeful that such a declaration would help bring back a democratic environment. The prime minister even said the BNP leaders and activists would not be stopped if they came to besiege the Gonobhaban.

However, right after such a statement from the prime minister, two BNP activists were shot dead in a clash over a BNP demonstration in Bhola.

The government was prompt in forming an investigation committee and submitting the probe report rapidly after the leaders and activists of Chhatra League were beaten up in Barguna. A police official in charge there, was withdrawn even before any investigation.

However, the government didn’t find anything serious in the killing of two BNP activists in a clash with police as if beating up someone is a more serious offence than killing somebody. It is not so important who shot whom or who were beaten up by whom. The important fact is that the deceased or injured persons belong to which party.

The national election will be held some 18 months from now. Despite that, there is unrest within the ruling party. Although the Awami League leaders have challenged the BNP leaders that the game is on, it seems they are not following the rules of the game. They have taken the game of the streets to houses of the opposition leaders.

*This report appeared on the print and online versions of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten in English by Ashish Basu