The mayhem unleashed at the Dhaka University campus on Thursday may have.alarming implications far the already tense political situation In the country, fear political analysts and observers

After an unusually prolonged lull, the campus erupted like a powder-keg with the student fronts of the ruling BNP and the main opposition Awami League locked in a dangerous posture of confrontation. It appeared that the whole episode was calculatlvely orchestrated as if to flex their muscles or. more precisely, their firepower

But the incidents unfurled during the day were more than a mere test of strength. In fact, these were an extension of the highly-charged political atmosphere arising out of the debate over the ontentlous caretaker government issue, ^ro and anti-Liberation forces and fundamentalism, analysts point out

What is more alarrnlng is that the university teachers are intensely involved In the debate and the DU incident left one of them with a bullet in his leg and two others jostled and

manhandled.

The question foremost In the minds of the general public at the moment is: "Does -he DU incident signify a new level of confrontation between the two largest political parties in the land?'

The matter Is further complicated by the fact that leaders of both the BNP and the AL instead of trying to defuse the situation, lent strong support to their respective student fronts and. as usual, blamed each other for the violence.

In the process, they seemed to have encouraged the radical elements in the two parties, apparently to go for an allout confrontation, ob servers say

Within hour, of the incident. the Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson took a public posture blaming a "certain party” for the Incident while the AL chief, the.very next day. termed It a “well-planned terroristic act masterminded by the government’ to further complicate the political atmosphere and distract attention from the caretaker govern merit issue

"But does this absolve the

JCD and the BCL of any blame?" ask the observers.

The public posturing of both the leaders on the DU Incident has serious political implications given that the major opposition parties have taken to the streets besides their continued boycott of Parliament over the demand for holding future national elections under a caretaker government

What further clouds matters is that the Dhaka University Teachers' Association (DUTA) has taken sides and directly blamed the JCD for the attack on the teachers Observers point out that the DUTA reaction may be somewhat Justified given that its Secretary General was assaulted.

They, however, add that by taking a position so quickly and so decisively DUTA may have compromised Its neutrality. which will somehow make the association s role as a campus peacemaker less effective

A lew days ago. Dr Ershadul Bari. Dean of the Faculty of Law. was harassed and his of flee was ransacked, allegedly by a group of students. According to the accounts published in the national dailies, the trouble started at around noon on the day when a , few rounds of gunfire were di-. reefed towards the ongoing JCD rally near the Aparajeya Bangla intersection reportedly by a group of "unidentified" armed men.

It was soon responded by counterfire from the direction of the JCD rally, targeting the BCL rally near the Arts Faculty building. Later, the gunfire was returned in kind from the direction of the BCL rally.

As the incidents unfurled it appeared that both sides deliberately chose a path of confrontation. The quickness with which both sides initially dispersed and soon re-emerged with arms indicated that it might have been pre-planned, the observers note.

The role of the law enforcement agencies as bystanders and the mysterious presence of a group of armed outsiders' also raise questions.

But the question that emerges frequently is: Who gains from the QU incident?

According to a BNP stal wart, the AL gains most because it was done 'intentionally' as part of its one-point demand to unseat the government.

"The DU campus is an Important place and it was done

in an attempt to further gain strength for the anti-government agitation." the ruling party leader, preferring anonymity. said.

He also alleged that the BCL was given 'encouragement' by the DUTA and that the incident was an extension of the BCL ploy to further stall the DUCSU polls.

On the other hand, an AL central leader claimed that it was orchestrated to further destabilise the political situation and distract attention from the current political issue of holding polls under a caretaker government.

Asserting that his party continues to discourage, armed cadres, ever since the Monto-group left the student wing, because it is considered counter productive, the AL leader reaffirmed that the incident was part of a bigger 'conspiracy.' He did not elaborate.

Nonetheless, whoever gains from this apparently orchestrated incident, it certainly won't be the nation.

Meanwhile, a situation on the DU campus continues to remain volatile despite a ban on political activities imposed by the authorities on Saturday. Witnesses said that over 20-rotinds of gunfire were heard on the campus in the early hours of yesterday.