Minority community leaders, rights activists and liberal personalities have raised concerns over the call by acting chief of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Tarique Rahman, who stands convicted in a number of cases, for party men to mobilize on the streets for “regime change” on October 28.
They also criticized Tarique for his address in which he gave “instructions to law enforcers and public servants.”
Such instructions “from a fugitive are an act of treason,” they said, adding that law enforcers must take necessary measures to ensure public safety.
Instead of fighting the battle of ballots, hitting the streets “to oust the government” has emerged as BNP’s clarion call which is “unconstitutional and undemocratic,” renowned writer, historian and war crimes researcher Shahriar Kabir said.
“We have seen the largest persecution of minorities carried out by BNP-Jamaat forces when they were in power between 2001 and 2006,” reminded Kabir, who documented communal attacks at that time.
Academic Prof Mesbah Kamal of Dhaka University said, “A change in government can be done with public mandate that can be manifested through ballot or a mass upsurge.”
In reference to Tarique’s call, he said, “Without the involvement of mass people, you cannot bring about any change. As the past record of BNP and Jamaat is violent, there are valid reasons to be concerned.”
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Minority community leader Rana Dasgupta said that considering the violent attacks orchestrated by BNP in the past, “this latest threat by Tarique is deeply concerning for the minorities in Bangladesh.”
“Any political party that complies with the basic tenets of democracy should refrain from issuing such threats publicly,” Dasgupta, general secretary of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad, added.
In the run-up to the 2014 national election, violence on the streets coupled with targeted attacks on minorities across the country still traumatize the victims, he observed.