Where is the democratic space?
We are appalled at the way law enforcers disrupted a peaceful sit in by the BNP on Thursday by brutally swooping on a Chhatra Dal leader they wanted to arrest. During the scuffle the Chhatra Dal activist was manhandled by the police and his clothes torn off. Other members of BNP were hurt in the tussle. What could possibly warrant such violent behaviour from those whom we have entrusted to be protectors of law and order?
First of all, the sit in by the BNP was a peaceful one hence there was no reason for any kind of police force to be employed. Secondly, if it is to arrest a BNP party man because he had cases against him, why did it have to be at that particular venue when the main opposition was holding a sit in?
Clearly the police action was politically motivated and aimed at foiling the opposition's programme.
We are dismayed and concerned to see the increasing tendency to diminish the country's democratic space. In a democracy it is a given that opposition parties will have the right to assemble and carry out political programmes. But what we have seen is that every time the BNP has tried to hold a programme it has been disrupted in one way or another by state forces. The government has denied permission to the BNP to hold rallies while allowing its own party to hold them without any objection whatsoever. Even protests or rallies by other groups have been clamped down upon with unnecessary force. These are anomalies in a democracy and contradict the very principles upon which our constitution is based.
If indeed the government is serious of living up to the claim of being democratic it must fulfil basic prerequisites. Allowing opposition parties by giving them the space to hold peaceful programmes is a primary one. Political intimidation is hardly conducive to holding a free and fair election, something that the ruling party has promised the people.
- The Daily Star/10-03-18
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