As our nation approaches what is inarguably the most critical elections we have had in about two decades, we are appalled to see an all-too-familiar pattern of violence is rearing its head.
Since November 10, Dhaka and other parts of the country have been rocked by a series of coordinated attacks: Cocktail explosions in Agargaon, Mirpur, Mohammadpur, and Dhanmondi; hand bombs hurled near Grameen Bank; and buses set ablaze.
With the nature of these attacks, it is clear that these are deliberate acts of terror, not to show dissent but rather cause destruction.
It goes without saying that such violence has no place in this nation. While any and all individuals are parties should have a right to protest, and it is fundamental to the democratic discourse, never must that escalate to terrorize the public or destabilize the nation.
Regardless of who is causing these attacks, what is important is that the perpetrators of these acts – whose sole purpose is to seek to exploit electoral tensions to sow fear and division – be identified, investigated, and brought to book.
Our law enforcement, over the past year and so, have rightfully been criticized for simply not doing enough to keep the nation safe and functional. However, this is their moment to act – with both restraint and resolve. At such a crucial time for the nation, there is simply no scope for the perpetrators of these crimes to not face the full force of justice.
Too much has happened, and Bangladesh has come too far since the events of last year’s Monsoon Revolution, to once again be dragged back into cycles of violence. Our future depends on a credible electoral process, and for that to be a success, the interim government must do everything possible to keep our streets and public property safe from these miscreants.
