Opinion: AL’s yet another Goebbelsian tactic

On Monday evening, around 150 activists of Jubo League, Swechchhasebak League, Shramik League and Chhatra League attacked BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's motorcade at the capital's Karwan Bazar. 

These attackers used brick chips and wooden sticks on the motorcade and Khaleda's bullet-proof car was damaged and four persons were injured, while she was unhurt. She was in Karwan Bazar to campaign for Dhaka North mayoral candidate Tabith Awal. The attack foiled the electioneering.

And soon after the attack an Awami League leader sued some 100 unknown BNP men for attacking AL men in Karwan Bazar. On the other hand BNP leaders alleged that AL men fired gun shots at Khaleda Zia's car.

Then on Wednesday again, some 70 people attacked and injured a few persons of Khaleda Zia's electioneering motorcade in the similar manner in Bangla Motor.

While its clear to the public who were the attackers, prime minister's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy within hours 'found out' who were responsible for the attack. He said on Monday night in his facebook page that the attack on BNP chief Khaleda Zia's motorcade was done by "angry public."

"People of Dhaka are quite angry at Khaleda Zia for burning 160 people to death and injuring many others on buses and public transportation during the past three months," he said.

The attackers were all well known in the Karwan Bazar area. The Daily Star has found out that the attackers were mostly leaders and activists of the ruling Awami League's associated bodies and Chhatra League men from ward-26, Tejgaon and Dhaka Polytechnic Institute.

In other words, Joy's "angry public" were nothing but leaders of the student front of his own party.

The Awami League leaders may continue to say loudly that they were not responsible -- but nobody would buy it. Selling a lie a million times does not change the truth. Joseph Goebbels had elaborately exercised it and for sometime succeeded in confusing the people. But in the end, it did not work.

In case of the attacks on the motorcade, if the event was a bit smokey—the Awami League could have temporarily confused people. But it is so crystal clear that shouting out lies would only create sympathy for Khaleda Zia -- and not confuse anyone and thereby would not impact BNP's electioneering.