Former defence officers have called for the army to return to barracks, expressing concerns that the initiative to involve the military in the current political crisis is similar to militarization.
This was said at a press conference held at the Raowa Club auditorium in the capital on Sunday.
The conference was organized to discuss solutions for the current crisis facing the country. Former Chief of Army Staff Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan delivered the keynote speech.
In his address, Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan said: “If the country's policymakers had not lost their conscience, intelligence, and heart, then the biggest, most tragic killings in the history of Bangladesh would not have occurred in the past few weeks. Countless people have lost their limbs in these attacks and counter-resistance. Many teenagers and young adults have become blind. Indigent citizens are not receiving necessary and urgent medical care. On top of that, there are horrific incidents like block raids, and people being taken away from their homes by terrorists. Thousands of innocent teenagers and youths have been arrested on false charges or are on the run.”
“Ending discrimination and oppression was the pledge of the liberation war. On the contrary, it has spread terribly at all levels of the country. It has gone beyond the tolerance of the majority of people who are at the bottom of society. Our economic situation and its management are very fragile. To remedy this, people are not shying away from sacrificing themselves today. Those responsible for pushing the country into such a difficult situation must be held accountable through fair trials. Transparency, fairness, and credibility in the entire system must be established to restore peace, order, and trust in society,” he added.
