Agriculture Minister Matia Chowdhury on Saturday said law enforcers dispersed Hefajat-e-Islami activists from Shapla Chattar applying minimum force as the government did not want the anarchy to continue.
“The government removed them as the situation had taken an anarchic turn. The government discharged its duties by driving Hefajat men away applying minimum force. No one can say the government did excesses in this regard,” she told BBC Sanglap on contemporary issues.
Matia said this in reply to a question from the audience whether the government had any alternative to the use of force to remove the Hefajat men from Shapla Chattar.
The programme, moderated by BBC journalist Akbar Hossain, was recorded at the city’s Biam Auditorium in the evening.
“Hefajat leaders had committed that they’ll leave Shapla Chattar on peaceful completion of their programme. Everybody respects Ahmed Shafi. Why should we mistrust him beforehand? They should have lived up to their
promise. But they didn’t.”
On the issue, BNP standing committee member ASM Hannan Shah said the situation would not have taken a turn for the worse had the government allowed Hefajat chief Allama Ahmed Shafi to go to Shapla Chattar.
“Allama Shafi was always in government protection. The government gave him security on his way to the airport from (Lalbabgh) madrasah. Had he appeared at Shapla Chattar, the situation would not have deteriorated.”
Economist and former professor of Dhaka University Dr Mahbub Ullah said there was a scope for engaging in discussions before dispersing them as the government was in touch with the Hefajat leaders.
Taking part in the discussion, convener of war crimes facts-finding committee Dr MA Hasan said the government has no alternative. “The law enforcers’ steps can’t be called illegal.”
He also said those who are branding the operation as genocide, they do not know its definition.
Dr MA Hasan questioned why the government allowed Hefajat to hold rallies at a sensitive place like Shapla Chattar. (Source: UNB)
