Editorial
Deliberate denial of space to opposition
Confrontation precipitated
We view with trepidation that the ruling party has opted for what looks like a deliberate creation of impediments to the opposition's right to dissent. The DMP in a sweeping prohibitory order has forbidden all kinds of political meetings, processions, sit-in demonstrations, human chain formation from 6am to 12 midnight today.
Since the opposition's launching of a road march programme a month ago, government authorities cooperated and the ruling party refrained from interfering with its road marches and rallies. In that context, it is highly disconcerting to note that the ruling party scheduled an elaborate political programmes on the same day that the opposition had planned 20 days ago to bring out public processions in Dhaka.
The provocative announcement of the counter programme by the ruling party is reflective of what the state minister for law Quamrul Islam had said on Thursday addressing the BNP: 'We have tolerated enough, no more leeway would be given' (to you).
Thus in the face of simultaneous scheduling of programmes and counter programmes by the opposition and ruling party respectably, the DMP has had a handle to step in ostensively to maintain civic order. Two points, however, must be clearly made here: first, BNP's programme had been announced at least three weeks back but the Mohanagar Awami League's programme was retributively decided to invite a showdown and consequently violence. While the law and order authority, approached by the BNP much earlier than the AL, should have proceeded on first-come-first-serve basis, it has taken the easy way out, or was it all stage-managed? In any case, such an approach is bound to recoil on them.
When the BNP was in power it had applied a similar practice towards the then opposition Awami League.
The simple point is, if only the Awami League had decided to stage its programme a day earlier or later than the BNP, the confrontational posturing could have been entirely avoided, government shown in a better light and the public spared the misery at home and on the street.
We are therefore forced to conclude that what the ruling party has done is to consciously and deliberately act to suppress the opposition's right to demonstrate and hold public rallies. This will not augur well for consolidating democracy.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments