Prosecute arsonists

The people killing civilians and committing crimes in the name of the blockade and hartal must be brought to trial immediately, some eminent persons said yesterday.

The BNP-Jamaat alliance is out to turn Bangladesh into a "failed state", so the government and the people must joint hands to prevent these crimes, they told a discussion, "Terrorism, human rights and democracy: Perspective Bangladesh", in the capital's WVA auditorium.

Ekattorer Ghatak Dalal Nirmul Committee organised the programme, marking the 93rd birth anniversary of National Professor Kabir Chowdhury.

Speaking as chief guest, Law Minister Anisul Huq assured that the perpetrators would be brought to book within the next six months and be prosecuted under the Special Powers Act, Anti-Terrorism Act, Law and Order Disruption (Speedy Trial) Act and Explosive Substances Act.

"Today's battle is to protect Bangladesh…We are ready for that," he said. "We don't think violence is a crisis of politics or of the law and order. Rather, we are taking it as a threat to Bangladesh's existence. There will be no compromise on action against the criminals."

He dismissed any possibility of talks with the BNP.

Blasting civil society members for their call for dialogue, historian Prof Muntassir Mamoon said, "But why don't they raise voice against criminal activities?"

National Human Rights Commission Chairman Mizanur Rahman said, "The perpetrators have launched a battle against the ordinary and poor people."

Referring to news reports that civil society mulls to formulate a socio-political charter for ending the ongoing impasse, he said the constitution itself was a charter of the nation, so there was no need for another.

The Nirmul Committee Acting President Shahriar Kabir demanded a ban on Jamaat-e-Islami terming it a criminal organisation and called for at least 50,000 new recruits in the police force.

Maj Gen (retd) Abdur Rashid, executive director of Institute of Conflict, Law and Development Studies, called for formulation of a law to restrict the scope of hartal and blockades.

Prof Borhanuddin Khan Jahangir delivered Kabir Chowdhury Memorial Speech-4, while women's rights activist Rokeya Kabir spoke among others.