Unabated violence which engulfed parts of Bangladesh following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit has triggered a massive political war between the ruling Awami League and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). The death toll has climbed up to 13 as per Bangladesh’s leading newspaper ‘The Daily Star’.
Awami League’s General Secretary and Road Transport Minister Obaidul Quader said that the violence reiterates once again that BNP is involved. “That BNP is involved with Islamic extremists and responsible for the mayhem and destruction is clear as daylight. BNP is triggering politics of unrest to further its own agenda,” Quader said.
Widespread violence was reported from Brahmanberia, Kishoreganj, Naraynganj, Dhaka, Habiganj, Narsingdi, Sylhet and Mymensingh. Public offices were torched and vehicles set on fire in several districts. Temples were also vandalised and train torched. Qawmi madrasa-based Hefajat-e-Islam reportedly stoked the violence in the first place.
Bangladesh Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and Law Minister Anisul Haq meanwhile issued separate warnings saying those who spread rumours and are responsible for disobeying the law and fanning unrest will be dealt with an iron hand.
Asaduzzaman also pointed to the possible involvement of militant outfits including the banned terror outfit Jamaat-e-Islami, Harkat-ul-Jihad and Ansarullah-Bangla team, whose leadership can be “traced to BNP Jamat-Shibir”.
Refuting all allegations, BNP meanwhile has said the Sheikh Hasina “regime must go” for the loss of lives.
“This government has shed the blood of common people on Bangladesh soil on the day of the 50th anniversary of independence. It must shoulder the full responsibility for the bloodletting and loss of lives in Dhaka, Chittagong, and Brahmanbaria in the last three days, and it must repay the blood debt,” BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said.
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