A massive government crackdown on activists and supporters of the opposition Islamic parties is fueling unrest in Bangladesh, a Muslim-majority South Asian country.
"This type of action by a democratically elected government is unwarranted and a major blow to the fundamentals of democratic principles," Abdul-Latif Masum, a professor of political science, told IslamOnline.net.
"It appears that the ongoing oppression of the opposition, especially Islamic forces, is quite ill-conceived by the present government and mainly targets to eliminate the Islamic forces from Bangladesh."
Thousands of opposition activists have been arrested in a massive security crackdown over the past three weeks.
The unrest is the first since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Awami leader, returned to power after a December 2008 parliamentary election that ended a two-year period of rule by an army-backed interim government.
Professor Masum warned that the government crackdown would trigger chaos in the country.
"This should not be the character of any democratic government and it shows intolerance of Awami League government," he said.
"Therefore, government should open all window of democracy for the sake of democracy itself."
But the government defended its crackdown against the opposition, saying it was part of efforts to prevent chaos in the country.
"Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Bangladesh Jamaat-E-Islami (BJI) are trying to destabilize the country to halt the trial of war criminal indictment process which is election agenda of present government," Mahabub-Ul-Alam Hanif, Joint General Secretary of the ruling Awami League, told IOL.
Standard Policy
Opposition groups say the latest crackdown is a standard policy of the Awami League.
"As a political party whenever Bangladesh Awami League (BAL) got hold of the power it never tolerated any opposition party," Abdul-Kader Mollah, Assistant Secretary-General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, told IOL.
"The present oppression and torture of the opposition by the Awami League government is their normal practice as evident from its past historic records of activities."
Mollah cited the government ban of all political parties in the country in 1973.
"BAL got the brute majority in 1975 and banned all political parties not only the Islamic political parties and established the ill-fated one party state with the formation of Bangladesh Krishak Sramik League (BAKSAL) and started the era of one party regime in Bangladesh."
He urged the government to stop treating the opposition as the enemy.
"Opposition is a part of government in a democratic country. So, the government should refrain from undemocratic and dictatorship attitude against opposition," said Mollah.
"Our apprehension is that such type of attitude toward the opposition as rooted in the mind of present government is not good sign for the country. Its consequence will be very bad."
Mohammd Jafrullah Khan, Secretary-General of the Khelafat Majlish Islamic party, warned that the crackdown could trigger a backlash.
"BAL government is losing its good image through torture and suppression of the opposition and creating a terrible atmosphere," he said.
"This will lead to a decline in the public support for the government. So ultimately government will be destabilized within a short time."
"This type of action by a democratically elected government is unwarranted and a major blow to the fundamentals of democratic principles," Abdul-Latif Masum, a professor of political science, told IslamOnline.net.
"It appears that the ongoing oppression of the opposition, especially Islamic forces, is quite ill-conceived by the present government and mainly targets to eliminate the Islamic forces from Bangladesh."
Thousands of opposition activists have been arrested in a massive security crackdown over the past three weeks.
The unrest is the first since Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Awami leader, returned to power after a December 2008 parliamentary election that ended a two-year period of rule by an army-backed interim government.
Professor Masum warned that the government crackdown would trigger chaos in the country.
"This should not be the character of any democratic government and it shows intolerance of Awami League government," he said.
"Therefore, government should open all window of democracy for the sake of democracy itself."
But the government defended its crackdown against the opposition, saying it was part of efforts to prevent chaos in the country.
"Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Bangladesh Jamaat-E-Islami (BJI) are trying to destabilize the country to halt the trial of war criminal indictment process which is election agenda of present government," Mahabub-Ul-Alam Hanif, Joint General Secretary of the ruling Awami League, told IOL.
Standard Policy
Opposition groups say the latest crackdown is a standard policy of the Awami League.
"As a political party whenever Bangladesh Awami League (BAL) got hold of the power it never tolerated any opposition party," Abdul-Kader Mollah, Assistant Secretary-General of Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, told IOL.
"The present oppression and torture of the opposition by the Awami League government is their normal practice as evident from its past historic records of activities."
Mollah cited the government ban of all political parties in the country in 1973.
"BAL got the brute majority in 1975 and banned all political parties not only the Islamic political parties and established the ill-fated one party state with the formation of Bangladesh Krishak Sramik League (BAKSAL) and started the era of one party regime in Bangladesh."
He urged the government to stop treating the opposition as the enemy.
"Opposition is a part of government in a democratic country. So, the government should refrain from undemocratic and dictatorship attitude against opposition," said Mollah.
"Our apprehension is that such type of attitude toward the opposition as rooted in the mind of present government is not good sign for the country. Its consequence will be very bad."
Mohammd Jafrullah Khan, Secretary-General of the Khelafat Majlish Islamic party, warned that the crackdown could trigger a backlash.
"BAL government is losing its good image through torture and suppression of the opposition and creating a terrible atmosphere," he said.
"This will lead to a decline in the public support for the government. So ultimately government will be destabilized within a short time."
