Who is to blame for the killings?

We are at the end of year 2013, but can we look forward with hope to the year 2014? No, because people who are in power and are responsible for the welfare of the country have taken a dangerous path; they are talking of democracy, when actually they are strangling it.
In the December 27, 2013 issue of The Daily Star, Sheikh Hasina's speech at a public rally in Faridpur was published. At one point she said, “We believe in justice. The opposition leader will be charged with giving orders for killing and burning people to death.”
But as a matter of fact, we did not hear Khaleda Zia openly giving order to kill and burn people, but with deep regret we still remember when an activist of Awami League was killed at Baddarhat in Chittagong in the previous tenure of Sheikh Hasina, she openly said, “Ekti lasher bodoley doshti lash chai. Amader kormira ki shari, churi porey boshey achhey?” What an order from a prime minister!
We urge the government to shun the path of hostility, not to use law enforcing agents for holding the farcical election which people will never accept, and prove that Awami League truly believes in democracy and will do everything to uphold it.
Nur Jahan
Chittagong