The government on Wednesday asked police to “show courage” in enforcing law and order at any cost and arrest those involved in imposing the road-rail-waterways blockade.
State Minister for Home Shamsul Hoque Tuku called the inspector general of police into his secretariat office on Wednesday and asked him to convey the government’s intention down to the field level of the force, a home ministry official said.
“Law enforcing agencies have been instructed to maintain law and order, and to arrest those who attack innocent people,” Tuku told reporters after the meeting with the IGP.
The BNP-led 18-party alliance is imposing a 48-hour road-rail-waterways blockade to protest the election schedule declared by the election commission.
More than a dozen persons – including a BGB member – have already been killed and scores more have been injured while the capital is almost cut off the rest of the districts.
Tuku blamed the opposition for the violence unleashed across the country.
In reply to a query, the state minister said those who are vandalising cars and killing people are political offenders. “It will take a bit more time to bring them to book as they are not criminals in the traditional sense of the word.”
He said Khaleda Zia had only one agenda and that was to protect war criminals.
“No one will be spared; today or tomorrow the offenders will be brought to justice,” Tuku said, adding that the law enforcing agencies have to take the highest risk and show courage in maintaining law and order.
About the compensation for the victims, the state minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was taking care of it.