Definition of 'hartal'
It is very funny how the definition of 'hartal' changes with the change of the position of the political parties. When they form the government, hartal is defined as destructive politics, which hampers the development of the country and causes suffering to the people. So, it must shunned.
When in the opposition, hartal is a tool to protest against the government's failures and misrule, it is called for the sake of the people as they are facing many problems due to the inefficiency of the ruling government. The BNP gave a call for a peaceful hartal on July 27, 2010 and it could have passed peacefully but the Awami League government had other plans. Police, Rab and Awami League activists swooped on the pickets and arrested a large number of BNP leaders. The protesters were physically abused with indiscrimination.
It is quite evident that in observing hartal and resisting it, the BNP is no match for the Awami League. We have seen in 2006 how the Awami League acted when it was in the opposition.
Now the Awami League is in power, their dealing with the opposition is objectionable. Awami League General Secretary, Syed Ashraful Islam, said on June 27, 2010 that his party would not take responsibility of the activists of the Chhatra League who had allegedly attacked pickets at various places during the hartal. How absurd! Is it not the government's duty to see to it that no untoward incidents happen? how could it shrug off the responsibility? People are not at all happy by the government's attitude.
Comments