Against the backdrop of growing political unrest, vandalism and violence erupting across the country every now and then- the government has launched a nationwide crackdown conducted by the joint forces under the title "Operation Devil Hunt".
Key objective of the joint forces operation has been reported to restore discipline and maintain law & order across the country following Friday night's reported attack on students and common people in Gazipur.Moreover, a home ministry press release issued on Friday stated that joint forces are conducting the drive in Gazipur and particular areas across the country to bring criminals who attacked students to justice. Some 40 people have been arrested linked to the Gazipur violence so far during the time of writing.
We, however, welcome this timely and much needed joint forces operation launched during complex transformative period the country is passing right now. At the same time, we urge the government to widen the scope of this drive throughout the country, other than focusing on specific areas where law & order situation has collapsed in the last 72 hours.
The question automatically arises, why hadn't the government launched this special operation right after the destruction of Sheikh Mujib residence at Dhanmondi Road 32?
It is no short of horror to have witnessed countrywide demolition of scores of houses and properties owned by fallen Awami League politicians. While these destructions are manifestly an act of a collective outburst of hate, triggered by none other than the fallen former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's recent speech - it is equally disturbing to witness how reluctant and indolent our law enforcement agencies have turned in terms of response.
However, the joint forces comprising of armed forces, BGB, Coast Guards, Police, RAB, and Ansar, had been deployed across the country since last year's September to recover illegal firearms and maintain law and order. Only few firearms were reportedly recovered while law & orders situation improved little.
The point, however, conducting joint forces drives or operations are not permanent solutions to the ongoing political and leadership crisis in Bangladesh.
Barely a couple of days ago some 26 eminent senior citizens of the country expressed grave concern over the country's fast deteriorating law & order situation by issuing an official statement.
The statement added a crucial paragraph coupled with a question that read - "Any form of public incitement to violence will only encourage sabotage efforts of supporters of fascism and their international sponsors, and all incidents of arson, violence and vandalism that have already occurred should be brought under the law and investigated properly for accountability. But to whom should we voice our demands?"
Drawing immediate lessons from the painful ground reality, we make an urgent call to the Interim Government to unite students, people and political parties before the country falls inside a dangerous abyss.
