Protest calls in Bangladesh after Zia aide is shot - FT.com

Protest calls in Bangladesh after Zia aide is shot - FT.com

Last updated: January 14, 2015 2:52
pm

Protest calls in Bangladesh after Zia aide is shot

Victor Mallet in New Delhi and
Joseph Allchin in Dhaka

http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/b49726e4-9bae-11e4-b6cc-00144feabdc0.html

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Unidentified gunmen have shot and injured a senior adviser to Bangladesh’s
main opposition leader, in an attack that drew international condemnation and
stoked a new round of protest and political violence in the south Asian country.Reaz Rahman, who works for Khaleda Zia, leader of the Bangladesh Nationalist party,was wounded and his car set alight in an attack by six men in central Dhaka onTuesday evening. The incident happened metres from groups of police who, theBNP says, have blockaded Ms Zia in her office for 11 days. 
FirstFT is our new essential daily email briefing of the beststories from across the webThe opposition, which has threatened a day of protests and transportshutdowns on Thursday in response, said the attack on the 74-year old former
foreign minister was an attempt by the Awami League government of prime ministerSheikh Hasina to intimidate Ms Zia and her party.
The police said they were seeking the “miscreants” behind the attack, which

Ms Zia called “an act of cowardice and terror”.
“The ruling party will have to shoulder the full responsibility for the evil
attempt to create anarchy in the country by resorting to terrorism, killings,
secret attacks and enforced disappearances,” she said.
At least 10 people have been killed in the past two weeks and several
opposition leaders have been detained. Four people were burnt to death in a
firebombing attack on a bus in Rangpur, northern Bangladesh, on Wednesday and
police said they had arrested eight opposition militants.
The government made no immediate comment on the shooting, although Ms Hasina
did condemn the bus attack. “This is not politics. It is terrorism and
militancy,” she said.
The shooting of Mr Rahman drew condemnation from the US. “The United States
is shocked and saddened by the attack,” the state department said in a
statement. “We urge the government of Bangladesh to investigate, track down,
and hold accountable those responsible for these acts. We urge all sides to
refrain from acts of violence.”



Ms Zia’s BNP boycotted the general
election a year ago after complaining of harassment and the conduct of the
polls. That allowed Ms Hasina to return to power, albeit with only a low
turnout of voters, but paved the way for this month’s demonstrations and
protests on the election’s first anniversary.



Many of Bangladesh’s 150m inhabitants, including the owners of businesses in
the country’s growing garment sector, are weary of the bitter rivalry between
the two women that has plagued politics for years.



While Ms Hasina’s Awami League has become increasingly authoritarian — Ms
Zia accuses her of launching a
one-party state — the BNP and its Jamaat-e-Islami
allies have repeatedly resorted to violent protests and transport shutdowns
in pursuit of their demands.



Toby Cadman, a human rights lawyer who advises the country’s opposition,
said: “What we are seeing is a deterioration in stability in Bangladesh and the
Awami League trying to consolidate power still further ... The
BNP is pushing for fresh, inclusive elections.”
The Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission, citing government threats
to deal with the opposition the way Maoists rebels were crushed in the 1970s,
said the country appeared to be “heading toward a bloodbath” unless
international and local stakeholders could break the cycle of political
violence and censorship.
Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, have called for
investigations into the recent killings, the release of detainees and an end to
a crackdown on the media.

COMMENT:

The long activities of the foreign diplomats stationed at Dhaka directly
indicates the government of Bangladesh is repeating the same horrendous man
killing, burning and cutting trees by government activists and trying to
apportion blame on the opposition has become a regular feature.
This time speaking lies by politicians holding chair of responsibility at
very high level openly ordered to burn the hands of the people of those
throwing petrol bomb instead of putting them before the magistrate and judges
for trail and punish them as per the provision of the law of the land.
It is reported that to divert the attention of the general public against
form the government's anti democratic activities the party in power is throwing
petrol bombs killing hundred and repeatedly propagating through the electronic
media blaming the opposition.
The speaking of lies by the Political Leaders of the party in power has been
a serious talk in the diplomatic circle.  human rights commission has
already warned the government of the illegal killing by the government vital
law enforcing agency on orders from the head of the government
is reported in print media of the interview of ex Commissioner of Dhaka
Metropolitan  Police tantamount to committal of abatement of all heinous
crimes committed by police force of the country.
This simple statement of the ex DMP commissioner would serve to prove that
the party's political leaders also took part in the use of police and all the
other security forces to conduct illegal killing to instill fear in public mind
to cling to power by any means.
These  acts the previous Congress party of India in violation of all
diplomatic norms  supported the government in power of Bangladesh. Public
openly apprehended the the government was trying to make Bangladesh like SHIKIM
with active help of INDIA.
The President of India, foreign minister and secretary of Indian foreign
ministry all came to campaign for the party in power  of Bangladesh during
their official visit. They too are also the abettors.
 People would like the International body to send investigative
Journalist in huge number for an impartial investigation and find out if crime
against humanity was committed or not.
The mater seems to be very urgent. And if delayed thousands of innocent
public would be killed by the Party in power to blame the opposition and
arrest even the opposition Leader and harass..