Normalcy in a few days

Leaders of the ruling Awami League (AL) and opposition Jatiya Party yesterday forecast an end to the ongoing violence and political crisis in the next couple of days, stating without elaborating that policing and talks would bring about the change.

Violence in the last 18 days of a blockade being enforced by the BNP-led 18-party alliance left 33 people dead and around 900 injured while about 700 vehicles were vandalised and torched. The alliance demands an inclusive, credible national election through a non-party administration.

Addressing a discussion in the capital, AL lawmaker Suranjit Sengupta said normalcy would return “by next week as you have seen criminal activities have already come down considerably.”

Terming the ongoing violence acts of terrorism, he said the government would go all-out in the fight against terrorism “by the BNP-led alliance” and that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia would face legal action for “masterminding the killings”.

Opposition leader Raushan Ershad, on visiting burn victims at Dhaka Medical College Hospital, said a resolution would come within a few days over the current political deadlock.

“We all are trying to resolve the political crisis. We are holding talks both inside and outside parliament. Hope a fair resolution will come soon,” she said.

Contacted, AL Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif said the arrest of arsonists and bomb-makers would do the trick.

“Police have got lists of bomb-makers, their patrons and financers. Many of them have already been arrested and the remaining will be nabbed soon,” he said.

On Thursday, AL stalwart and lawmaker Tofail Ahmed in parliament specifically set the timeframe at seven days.