Recent violence was culmination of multiple factors

The recent violent demonstrations in the country were a culmination of multiple factors including unremitting price hike of essentials, shutting down of mills and factories, and eviction of street vendors and slum dwellers, said politicians, academics, and a former major general of the army yesterday.
Speaking on BBC Bangladesh Sanglap, they also suggested the military backed caretaker government to initiate quickly dialogues with political parties, members of the civil society, intellectuals, and academics to solve the ongoing crisis engulfing the nation right now.
Urging the government to allow indoor politics soon for starting the dialogues, they also apprehended that the situation might worsen if early measurers are not taken.
"A large number of general people, mostly of poor and deprived classes, participated in the recent demonstrations due to
their resentments at the caretaker government for its different activities in the last seven months," said former Dhaka University (DU) vice-chancellor (VC) Prof Emajuddin Ahmed.
Asked whether there was any vested interested group instigating the violence, he said the matter should be inquired properly.
Prof Ahmed, a renowned political scientist, also said the nation does not want its army to be controversial.
Taking part in the discussion held in Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in the capital, Awami League (AL) leader Abdul Matin Khasru suggested that the whole matter should be solved through a proper impartial investigation of the reasons behind the recent violence.
"Without carrying out any inquiry the government already said some evil forces had created the anarchy, which I think tends to bypass the main problems," said Khasru. He also apprehended that the situation might worsen in the near future if the government does not take early measures to solve the problems.
The AL leader said the army is the symbol of the country's unity. "So no one should do any thing that might make the army controversial," said Khasru criticising the recent filing of cases against thousands of people.
Khasru, a former law and parliamentary affairs minister, urged all to beware of those who are trying to make the army controversial by giving legal advice to the government.
Former director general of the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) Maj Gen (retd) Ghulam Quader said the present government already made a number of wrong moves for which the country's economy has been badly hurt. "It was a serious wrong decision of the government to set up an army camp on Dhaka University campus as its students have a history of being sensitive about the presence of the army on the campus," said Gen Quader.
Saying that the demonstrations were justified following one of the army soldiers' maltreatment of some students, he added, the vandalism carried out by the students however was also very wrong. He also observed that there is a conspiracy to make the army controversial, which would bring no good to the country.
Joint Secretary of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) Shireen Akhter said the recent demonstrations might have been a reflection of the people's seven month's resentments at the government as the state of emergency had suspended many fundamental rights including the people's right to express grievances. "First a thorough inquiry is needed before the government says that some opportunist unruly people created the anarchy," she suggested.
She also said the army is the last hope for the people and a part of them, so they should adopt a more sensitive approach in dealing with students and the people in general.
BBC Bangla Service in conjunction with BBC World Service Trust organised the event, moderated by BBC's Masud Hasan Khan.
About the arrests of university teachers, the discussants said the arrests without any specific charges are likely to complicate the situation.
The arrests of teachers are going to cause tension among students, observed Khasru.
"The students will not take the arrests of their teachers positively," said Shireen, a former student leader herself, who termed the arrests a violation of human rights.
The arrests of the teachers without warrants are very sad, said Prof Emajuddin, adding that the government move was not right. "I think the government's image has been tarnished by the arrests. They must be released," said the former VC of DU.
Former BIISS DG said he does not support the way the teachers were arrested. "But none is beyond the law. If the teachers are accused of breaking the law, they should be tried," said Maj Gen (retd) Quader.
All discussants said they do not support the anarchy and vandalism that went on during the three-day violent demonstrations. They said indoor politics should be allowed right away to head for a free and fair election. They also suggested the government not to impose any restriction on the news media for the sake of democracy.