The shooting must come to an end

We cannot fathom what we have seen on the streets yesterday, yet more sickening violence that left so many young lives extinguished.

We had hoped that the one thing that all sides could agree on was that there had been too much death and that anything that could be done to bring the death count to zero and keep it there was to be welcomed and pursued.

Instead, dozens lie dead. The number by the time you are reading this will doubtless have grown to even more shocking proportions.

This cannot be the way. Both sides must not only disavow the violence perpetrated, they must condemn it and issue unequivocal directions to avoid it. And there must be repercussions for those who are guilty of the violence, to the fullest extent of the law.

The blood being shed is neither only that of the protesters or government supporters, but one thing we can surely agree on is that further violence benefits no one.

According to reports, in Pabna, at least three students were shot dead, in Rangpur four Awami League men were killed, while at least 11 policemen have been beaten to death in Sirajganj, among reports of dozens of other deaths still being confirmed in clashes which involved the protesters, the ruling party’s groups, and the police. This is to say nothing of the innumerable others who have been injured in these incidents -- the capital’s Dhaka Medical College Hospital alone has seen more than 20 people being rushed in after suffering severe injuries including bullet wounds.

How much more bloodshed will the nation have to sustain?

Once again deploying BCL and its youth groups on the protesters is not doing the government's goodwill any favours. This is not the way to tackle the protests. It wasn't at the start, and it is still not so today.

Similarly, and unlike at the start of the protests last month when the attacks on them were largely unprovoked and one-sided, it seems that this time sufficient numbers of protesters came armed and ready for trouble. This approach will gain them nothing and only alienate the general public.

We appeal to the highest seats of power in our government to do everything possible to please stop the attacks on the protesters. We similarly appeal to the protesters to understand that violent face-offs in the street cannot advance their cause.

No one wins by making an already volatile situation even more unstable. Violence is never the answer.