Save lives from political violence

Urging the government to protect public life from the ongoing political violence, speakers at a citizens' rally yesterday said although various political programmes are being announced to "realise the rights of the masses", the working people and women and children are becoming the worst victims of these programmes.
They said despite the government's steps to ensure law and order in the country, 20 people were killed in separate incidents of violence last week during the countrywide blockade enforced by the BNP led 18-party alliance.
Nagorik Sanghati, a civil society organisation, arranged the rally before Bangladesh National Museum in the capital, protesting arson on buses and killing people in the name of political programmes and the government's failure to protect public life.
Chaired by General Secretary of Nagorik Sanghati Sharifuzzaman Sharif, the rally was addressed, among others, by former general secretary of Dhaka University Teachers' Association (Duta) Dr Akhteruzzaman, filmmaker Mashiuddin Shaker, joint secretary of Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (Bapa) Mihir Biswas and Engineer Sardar Amin.
The speakers said around 350 people were killed in political violence this year.
They said killing people by setting fire on buses, arson at garment factories, torching trucks and uprooting rail tracks cannot be part of an agitation programme.