There can be no justification for the confinement of BNP leader Khaleda Zia to her party offices in Gulshan.
While she has since moved out of the building, and authorities and political opponents have claimed the surrounding of her party office did not legally amount to confinement, the symbolism of police surrounding the building and locking gates was unambiguous.
No public good was served by this action.
By clamping down on the BNP leadership, such actions by authorities only serve to inhibit freedom of expression and make the government look autocratic.
Claims by ministers that incidents elsewhere such as arson attacks may in some way have justified the pre-emptive lockdown in Gulshan do not have any substance in our judgement.
The BNP leader should be able to move around and speak freely. Law enforcers have a public duty to uphold the right of the opposition to peacefully voice its concerns.
As the government, the ruling party has a duty to uphold rule of law and allow peaceful demonstrations. Limiting political space by shutting down all rallies or squeezing the opposition out through a show of force is neither acceptable nor sustainable in a democracy.