***In spite of the primary responsibility resting on the ruling party for the rude repression of political opposition, the police authorities in general cannot also absolve themselves of their responsibility for excesses and violent acts of partisanship.

rr^HE two-day hartal called by I the 4-party combine of JL opposition political parties was observed throughout Bangladesh on the 7th and 8th of November. It was extended by another day due to the severe police repression on demonstrators on the second day. The success of the hartal was viewed obviously as differently by the ruling party and the opposition as their views rest on some of the major political issues. Still the hartal was generally observed, despite immense mobilization of anti-hartal demonstrations and unprecedented deployment of police force in the capital in an abortive attempt to persuade traders and others to continue with their business and vocation as usual.

The purpose of the hartal on the 7th was to protest against the government's decision to cancel holiday on the 7th November the National Solidarity and Revolution Day. which the BNP supporters observe as Hie anniversary of the day of deliverance. On this day 24 years ago. a short-lived coup at tempt by what was termed as anti-national pro-Indian and anti-democratic pro-one-party BAKSHAL elements was foiled by men of arms in the Canton -ment and supported by rejoicing citizens in Dhaka streets. The day was also marked by the freedom of the then Chief of Army Staff. General Zia. from his 3-day captivity by overthrowing the coup instigators. The hartal on the second day was called in protest against the holding of elections in three cities, despite the belated can -cellation of the election schedule declared earlier.

The first day of the hartal went off without grave incidents. It was the second day when the real trouble brewed

and erupted in a violent manner. A housewife. Rina Begum, while watching police action against picketers and demonstrators from the first floor-verandah of her house was killed by gunshots. The police in an official statement claimed that it was the BNP demonstrators who shot the housewife dead, as the pellets of shotguns used by the police could not reach the first floor of the house. Home Minister also corroborated the police statement in the parliament to the effect that BNP demonstrators killed the young lady. Eyewitnesses, on the other hand, as reported in the press, suggested that shots were being fired at in random from a police riot vehicle in the general direction of demonstrators and one of these shots hit and killed the innocent housewife.

This sparked great commotion and generated anger among people in the locality. The BNP brought out a procession in protest that was led by their Mayoral aspirant for Dhaka city and popular leader Sadeq Hossain Khoka MP, former Minister Abdullah al No-man, Zainal Abedin Farooq MP, besides others. Shortly thereafter these three BNP leaders were hit by rifle and shotgun fire by the police, some allegedly standing on the roadside. Khoka was hit by six rubber bullets from close range and several others received bullet and shotgun wounds requiring them to be hospitalized. Several hundred opposition demonstrators and workers became casualty during the 3-day hartal all over the country.

The police stated they had been attacked by demonstrators with brickbats, gun shots and bombs and had to act in self -defence. They, therefore, indicated that the shots that injured BNP leaders and supporters were, in fact, fired by the police themselves. Again, one can never Justify police action to lock up the BNP headquarters. holding the inmates captive for hours and preventing BNP leaders and legislators from entering their office. There was no provocation and lawfill authority to warrant such action. On the contrary, the police' filed cases against Khoka, Noman, Farooq and others, who had been physically attacked and Injured by the same law enforcing authorities. What does it imply? Perhaps, the principle of aggression being the best policy of defence has been applied in this case in a futile attempt to hoodwink people.

These unfortunate incidents evidently have brought about serious frustration and utter disappointment in the minds of the vast multitude of the people who aspire a peaceful, stable and tolerant society for the creation of an atmosphere con -genial for meeting the rising expectation and imperative need for promoting democracy and development in the country. It is both impractical and ridiculous to buy the postulate that the BNP leaders on the front row of a demonstration were marching the streets, pelting stones and firing shots at the police who in self-defence attempted to gun down these leaders. Without warning and contrary to resorting to the usual practice of first firing blank shots and aiming at legs, the police fired at the vulnerable parts of the body, heads and chests, of the victims from close range. Would it be incorrect to assume that the Intent of the police action was to kill the vic - Ums?

It was also strange that none of the Journalists and photo -journalists who were present on the scene in a good number failed to witness incidents to substantiate police claims, but they themselves became objects of police brutality and suffered injury for no rhyme or reason. One can. no doubt, ascertain without much difficulty the nature and specifications of the bullet or the pellet that killed the unlucky housewife, if needed, by performing autopsy of her body, which was hurriedly buried by the police. All these incidents of police action and non-action could be investigated into and judged properly by holding a Judicial Inquiry at high level. If the government refuses to do so. one can obvl -ously surmise there exists much to hide.

In this context, one cannot gloss over the role of the police in controlling and suppressing opposition political parties in course of the letter's lawful democratic pursuit of staging peaceful demonstrations and following other methods of polit -leal movement. We all are well aware that the police and the administrative machinery are required to act on the orders and directives of the ruling po -litical party. In the process, they somehow go along in help -ing the latter in promoting its political interests. In the process. if their actions manifest a little tilt in favour of the ruling party, it may be tolerated by many, provided the tilt is marginal and is within the lim -its set by law of the land, moral values and democratic practices.

On the other hand, if the limit is exceeded, the question arises of the need for accountability of their actions. People consider it most unfortunate that the police force, with notable exceptions, on a number

places in the country have turned themselves into veritable tools in the hands of the present ruling party. There were instances when the police had acted as accomplice and gave protection to terrorists, specially the Awami terrorists, who were allowed to attack opposition demonstrators while enjoy -ing police protection. Several other photographs of su;h unidentified, un-marked plain-

clothes gun trotting hoodlums in different postures during the past hartals were published in newspapers and corroborate such allegation. Otherwise, the widely photographed, easily recognized Liton who was poised to attack a BNP demon -stration after snatching a nir.e-shooter gun from a policeman several months ago. would not now roam around freely in the streets. Police would take no action against such easily iden -tillable terrorists belonging to the ruling party. One does not know whether it is greed or fear or a combination of both that has goaded a section of the po -lice force to act in an unlawful, high-handed and partisan manner as they did.

Yet. in spite of the primary responsibility resting on the ruling party for the rude repression of political opposition, the police authorities in general cannot also absolve themselves of their responsibility for excesses and violent acts of parti -sanship. The Leader of the Opposition has since made a statement to the effect that the police must not act as a slave to the government party, but should devote themselves to serve the people. The Awami League government before the June 1996 parliamentary election already politicized country's Civil Service and sought to destroy its laudable tradition of neutrality. The acts of the British-fame Civil Service had hitherto been legendary for their fairness and impartiality in action and constituted a matter of immense gratification and pride for all. Let the police force ponder a while and not fall in the same trap as some of the members of the Civil Service had fallen in 1996.

The author, a former Ambas ■ sador. is Member of Council of Advisers of the BNP: