Capital put under lock-down

The official decision to essentially shut down large sections of the city, making them impassable for the everyday citizens, was a disgraceful curtailment of the rights of the general public, and demonstrated that the government is ready to go even to completely self-defeating lengths in order to quell dissent.

This mindless obstruction of the city streets, with all arterial roads blocked, in order to thwart the opposition programme resulted in massive disruption of city life and left the prime minister virtually besieged within the PMO of her own volition.

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The government owes the public an explanation for this debacle. It has a responsibility to the public welfare that was shamefully abandoned yesterday when frustrating of the opposition demonstrations was given higher priority than the convenience and welfare of the public.

So many alternative solutions could have been put in place that would have been preferable. As we said earlier, the PMO is a high security zone; if need be, the immediate environs of the office could have been cordoned off and a separate area set aside for the protesters.

However, to choose to instead bring the city to a standstill with no thought to the damaging effects on everyday life showed shockingly poor judgment and unbelievable arrogance.

The government could have learned a lesson from the recent unrest in Thailand which saw massive anti-Thaksin demonstrations for weeks at a time. However, the Thai authorities were able to ensure that even while these were going on, that everyday life for the common people was not brought to a halt.

Not so here in Dhaka. Just to stop the demonstrations, the economic clock was brought to a grinding halt. The citizens' welfare and public convenience were a zero-level priority for the government and it is this attitude that will remain in the public mind long after this regrettable incident has come to a close.

We must ask the government why it feels so insecure that it cannot permit the opposition space in which to demonstrate and dissent. But even more important is the question as to how it can have so little regard for the people of this country that it can act in a manner that is so dismissive of their rights and interests.