No matter what provoked Hefazat-e-Islam into abandoning their “peaceful” protest, and whether or not the government used excessive force on them during the siege, it was unacceptable for Hefazat-e-Islam to run riot through downtown Dhaka.
Vehicles were vandalised, fires lit, and shops razed by Hefazat protesters in the area between Purana Paltan and Baitul Muqarram, as well as opposite the northern gate of Baitul Muqarram, in the market off its northern wing, in Naya Paltan, in front of the Bangladesh Communist Party office, Shokaler Khobor office, Mukti Bhaban, Stadium Market, in Sukrabad, as well as Bangladesh House Building Finance Corporation building.
Hefazat claims there was infiltration by Jamaat and BNP activists who were responsible for the fires. Nevertheless, even if there were infiltrators, this gives no one the license to vandalise and set anything ablaze.
In fact, if there were infiltrators, and if Hefazat truly meant to hold a peaceful protest, then why didn’t they themselves hold the infiltrators accountable when they began to set the fires? Instead, not only were the fires not prevented, the one at Mukti Bhaban was relit after fire services had put it out.
From the beginning, the police had refrained from being violent. They retaliated in a way that would ensure they dispersed the protesters but still held control over the situation.
Hefazat, on the other hand, came forward with already hostile and confrontational rhetoric. Their intent was to besiege the city, and their actions were violent and combative.
This does not mean we are dismissing Hefazat’s concerns. On the contrary, as we have said before, they have a right to their beliefs. They have the right to petition the government and voice their concerns.
They do not, however, have the right to turn downtown Dhaka into a battle zone and vandalise vehicles and businesses at will. Because they resorted to such egregious violence, it makes it very difficult to excuse them.
