There can be no questioning the difficulty of the task placed before those in the interim government when they were tasked with trying to fix the many wrongs that the Sheikh Hasina led Awami League government left the nation with after a decade and a half of misrule.
However, it is unfortunate that, despite the many areas where there has been legitimate and tangible progress, when it comes to ensuring rule of law, the past six months have left a lot to be desired.
Indeed, this lack of rule of law has been on full display over the past week or so; widespread vandalism and violence has once again escalated across the nation, and the lackadaisical, passive stance taken by our leaders and law enforcement has only emboldened others to engage in further acts of vandalism and violence.
To that end, after the events in Gazipur and further attacks, and the overall situation of the country’s law and order, we can understand the need for the current administration to have its Operation Devil Hunt in place.
With that said, while there was certainly need for a more pro-active stance taken to put an end to the violence and vandalism escalating in the nation, it is important for the stakeholders of this operation to recognize that this operation must put an end to any and all acts of violence and vandalism, and not just those that suit a particular narrative.
The important thing now is to restore law and order. There is no justification for attacks, nor is there any justification for vandalizing and burning property. All of it must stop.
