Eminent citizens in two separate statements on Thursday expressed their concern over the way things had panned out in the country’s political scene, with the two major political parties sharply divided and finding no middle ground to reach a consensus.
“From their behaviour it appears that they want to come or cling to power at any cost,” a statement signed by 33 citizens said, while the other statement, by 18 people, also echoed similar concerns.
The citizens said: “The security of people’s lives is at stake. No effort by the law enforcement agencies proved enough to put a stop to the political violence.”
Among the signatories to the statements are Prof Zillur Rahman Siddiqui, Prof Jamilur Reza Choudhury, Prof Harun-or-Rashid, SM Al-Hossaini, M Hafizuddin Khan, ASM Shahjahan, 1952 language movement veteran Abdul Matin, Akbar Ali Khan, CM Shafi Sami, Rasheda K Chowdhury, Barrister Rafiq-ul Haque, Prof Abdul Matin Patwari, Prof Ajay Roy, Selina Hossain, Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain, Syed Abul Maksud, Dr Zafrullah Chowdhury, Prof Syed Monjurul Islam, and Prof Syed Anwar Hossain.