A teary-eyed Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urged the people of Bangladesh to judge those involved in vandalism and arson of national assets during last week’s quota reform movement, the plea followed a visit by the Prime Minister to Mirpur-10 Metro station in Dhaka where unidentified men went on a rampage last Friday.

“I would urge the people of the country to judge them (who were involved in arson and vandalism).... I seek justice from the people. I don’t have words to describe the manner in which they went about destroying national assets,” she told reporters this morning.

Accompanied by senior officials of the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited, which looks after the Metro rail services in the capital and her personal staff, the Premier visited Mirpur-10 station. Kazipara, another station, was also vandalised the same day following which Metro services were suspended.

“What kind of mentality leads them to destroy facilities that make people’s lives easier? Dhaka city was clogged with traffic. The Metro rail offered respite. I cannot accept the destruction of this transport facility made with modern technology,” said an emotional Hasina during her interaction with the media after she inspected different parts of the vandalised station.

On December 28, 2022, Bangladesh launched its first Metro rail service with Japanese assistance to ease commuting in Dhaka, one of the most congested cities in the world. The second phase of overhead Metro rail service was thrown open last November.

In a press statement, BNP leader Md. Taiful Islam Tipu accused the ruling Awami League government of creating damage to the national assets as part of a conspiracy to give a bad name to the Opposition forces.

Amid the claims and counter-claims on what caused the damage, sources in Dhaka indicated that the reopening schedule of the metro services would be announced after assessing the damages for which a committee has been formed.

Though Hasina’s visit to Mirpur-10 station affected traffic movement in the morning hours, reports from Dhaka and the rest of Bangladesh suggested that the country was crawling back to normalcy after a week-long near shutdown because of clashes between the security forces and protesters across the country.

“The fact that the PM has begun visiting affected areas is a clear indication that the government is in full control of the situation and order is returning... The situation may still remain fragile, but the signs are positive,” said an Indian observer.

Amid a sense of hope about a speedy return to normalcy — broadband services were patchy and mobile Internet services remained down even on Wednesday — a source in Dhaka said Thursday would be a crucial day. “The students are no longer a threat, but the Opposition forces like the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, which took away the control of the movement, would try to create unrest after the Friday prayers... If it remains peaceful tomorrow, the return to normalcy would be more certain,” said the source.

A government source said that the law enforcing agencies would be extra vigilant in view of the likelihood of trouble after Friday prayers.

Meanwhile, security agencies launched a huge operation for seven terror accused, belonging to banned outfits Ansarullah Bangla Team and Jamaat-ul Mujahideen Bangladesh, who fled from a prison in Narsingdi last week after it was attacked by the protesters.

“There were nine terror accused and out of them two have been nabbed from the bordering area of Assam with weapons they had snatched from the prison guards. A massive operation is on to apprehend the rest as they pose a security threat to the entire sub-continent,” said a source before adding that 274 of the 826 inmates, who had escaped from the prison have surrendered in a local court.

Mamata comments

The foreign ministry confirmed on Thursday that Bangladesh has officially objected to the comments made by Mamata Banerjee on the recent developments in the neighbouring country.

“I can confirm that we have received a diplomatic note from the Bangladeshi side, protesting against the comments made by the Chief Minister of West Bengal,” ministry of external affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said during the weekly briefing.

Sources said that the note was handed over to the Indian High Commission in Dhaka by the ministry of foreign affairs in Bangladesh.

“I would like to underline that under the Seventh Schedule, Union List I, Item No. 10 of our Constitution, the conduct of foreign affairs and all matters which bring the Union into the relation with any foreign country are the sole
prerogative of the Union government,” said the spokesperson.

Addressing the party’s Martyrs’ Day rally on July 21, Mamata commented on the ongoing strife in Bangladesh, saying that she would not hesitate to provide shelter to the “helpless people” coming from the neighbouring country and seeking refuge in the state.