Party leaders say steps have also been taken to speedily dispose of all old cases against BNP leaders. The police, he says, has intensified the crackdown on their leaders and workers and arrests of BNP people in old cases. This keeps the BNP busy dealing with these issues.
Ruling party leaders say that keeping BNP people busy in such issues is part of the party’s strategy. In the coming days, the government will come down more strictly on the movement of the opposition. Speaking to Prothom Alo, a government minister said that in 1996 the BNP government had gone ahead with a one-sided election, despite a strong movement by the Awami League as the opposition. But in no time the BNP was forced to amend the constitution with a provision for a caretaker government. Perhaps BNP is now trying to take revenge from the Sheikh Hasina government. But the Awami League will not allow such a situation to arise. Its leaders say that if the BNP tries to show its dominance on the streets, it will be dealt with strictly. Just as the Awami League people will be on the streets, the law enforcement agencies will also take a tough stand.
The tough stance of the ruling camp is already visible. Leaders and workers of the Awami League and its affiliated organizations stood on “vigilance” in the streets on 29 July, when the BNP scheduled its pickets at entry points to Dhaka. They were aggressive and so were the police.
In such a situation, there is little possibility that both sides will initiate talks or reach a solution. BNP and Awami League want to defeat each other on the streets.
Writer and researcher Mohiuddin Ahmed feels that the ruling camp is moving towards an aggressive stance. BNP is also not in a soft mood. And hence the fear of common people about the political situation is increasing.