IT can hardly be overstated that for more than a week now, the citizenry has been writhing in a dreadful sense of insecurity owing to a series of abduction and killing enacted lately with chilling impunity. In this compelling backdrop, leading citizens felt duty-bound to voice their protest peacefully with placards highlighting messages seeking an immediate stop to the diabolic crimes and deterrent punishment of the culprits. So they formed a human chain along with a cross section of people including members of the victimised families on Saturday in front of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. But early into their programme the police snatched away their placards and asked them to leave.

The police authorities claimed that because no permission had been taken, they could not let the human chain continue. The organisers refuted such claim saying that they had written to DMP for permission on Friday but the latter did not reply. In fact, eminent citizens said they held similar programmes on the venue without having to take any permission as long as they were confident of the peaceful nature of the programme. Yet, they had duly informed the DMP about the programme on Friday.

Indeed, the 'concerned citizens' did not give any cause for police action as they were completely peaceful in their protests, nor the placards contained any anti-government message to intimidate the authorities. Why then the police overreaction reflecting on an avoidable sensitivity to civic protests on the part of the government?