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Libya steeped in turmoil

Foreign nationals insecure
22 February 2011, 18:00 PM
EDITORIAL
After Tahreer Square in Cairo it is now the Green Square in Tripoli. Libya is in a state of anarchy. The mass upsurge has brought the statecraft to a grinding halt. Indiscriminate killing of protestors by the government forces and supporters has brought about total disintegration of law and order in the country. The civil unrest is getting worse every moment. We express our concern about the Bangladeshis who are caught in the tumultuous circumstances. The anti government rioters have gone wild. They stormed a construction site outside Tripoli and took around 2000 workers of different nationalities hostage, of whom 450 are Bangladeshis. Many suffered injuries in the process. Some 40 to 50 South Koreans working at the site were also wounded. Uncertainty looms large about the fate of some 50,000 Bangladeshis now living in Libya. This is highly perturbing news for us. Reports from various sources confirm that the country has plunged into mayhem and its now a free-for-all situation. There's no government at work. Terming the opposition as seditious elements, Gaddafi's son has only added fuel to fire. Senior Libyan aides and diplomats have already defected from the government and lent support to the opposition. The whole region seems to be seething in a cauldron. It is for sure that the long serving rulers shall have to listen to the people and address their grievances at the soonest possible. Still their days seem numbered anyway. Meanwhile, diplomatic efforts under UN auspices must get underway in order that no harm is done to foreigners and that they are repatriated to safety. For its part, Bangladesh government should take an initiative for early repatriation of our citizens until calm is restored and situation normalised for their return to places of work.

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