Claimants of new political settlement created mobs, says Meghmallar
On the rise of mob violence, he said the unrest had its roots in the actions of designated leaders of the mass uprising
Those claiming to represent the new political settlement are responsible for creating mobs and fuelling unrest, said Meghmallar Bosu, president of Bangladesh Chhatra Union's Dhaka University unit.
Speaking to The Business Standard yesterday (29 September), Meghmallar said, "Those who call themselves claimants of the new order have not acted after 5 August. In every case, they have endorsed mobs in various ways.
"In many cases, they themselves have created mobs. Now the mobs have gone out of their hands. It is no longer under anyone's control."
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He added that responsibility for this situation lies with all sides.
"[Responsibility] will fall on them; they did it. It will fall on us too. On the 10th, we did not post [on social media] criticising Hasnat Abdullah. On the 10th, we could not disown the anti-discrimination student movement. Because this platform existed for eight to ten months, our country has suffered long-term damage," he said.
Recalling an incident in Narayanganj, Meghmallar said, "I was standing in front of a shop there. The shopkeeper asked, 'Brother, you look familiar, are you the coordinator?'"
The shopkeeper, expressing frustration, reportedly told him, "Brother, we loved you all so much, we have never loved any political party so much. Look what you all started!"
On the rise of mob violence, he said the unrest had its roots in the actions of designated leaders of the mass uprising.
"This mob violence actually started through the designated leaders of the mass uprising. We cannot escape this responsibility. At that time, they were not condemned.
"Through this, a situation has been created today where even a madman on the street can be caught and have their hair and beard cut off," he said.
According to him, the present situation did not develop overnight but had been building for a year.
He stressed that addressing it would require systematic procedures, but said he did not believe such measures would be taken.
"Instead, anyone who talks about systematic procedures is dismissed as a 'susheel' (civil society) soft activist, offering only mild opposition to the Awami League," Meghmallar said.
