Hartals to create anarchy won't be allowed: Babar

In an oblique reference to the main opposition Awami League, he said, "Stern legal action will be taken against those trying to create anarchy," and that, "Hartal can't be allowed for the sake of democracy."

In a statement to the House, the current session of which the AL has been boycotting, the state minister said, "The four-party alliance government is determined to maintain law and order. It's our responsibility to ensure security of people's life and property," adding, "No democratic government can tolerate anarchy in the name of hartal."

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He claimed that "people have rejected the unjustified hartals," and announced that resistance would be built up against those trying to bring in chaos.

He said the main opposition has already enforced hartal on 97 days. "They called hartal ahead of the Saarc Summit to foil it," he alleged and resented that it has called yet another marathon hartal for February 14 and 15.

Babar said it has been noticed that the AL has been trying to provoke the law enforcers during the last hartals in a bid to create anarchy, blaming it for, "fielding women activists to realise its scheme."

He urged the AL lawmakers to join the parliament session, shunning the use of hartal as a political tool.