Prof Anu Muhammad, Member Secretary, National Committee to Protect Oil, Gas, Mineral Resources:

The government did not behave well with the students who took to the streets demanding safe roads. There is no doubt that the government is now suffering from an image crisis for playing an autocratic role.
At first, the government bowed down to the demands of the students verbally. Many ministers of the government have also described it as a logical movement and said that they took lesson from it.

However, the police swooped on the agitating students afterwards. Some people in helmets armed with iron rods and machetes assaulted the students. The government claimed that they all belonged to BNP-Jamaat. Nevertheless, there has been no apparent effort to apprehend the attackers.

The government has turned aggressive and started taking different vindictive programmes following the movement. During the movement, the students halted vehicles of the police and minister for driving on the wrong side breaching traffic rules. How dare they halt the vehicles of the VIPs?

We also witnessed that Chhatra League assumed the role of the law enforcers and vice versa. They together launched attacks on the students. They did not stop there and chased the students wherever they come across. Even a mother was arrested on charge of distributing foods among the demonstrating students.

The government will not be able to salvage its bruised image if it does not stop rounding up people and later putting them on remand. As a way out, the government should release the students arrested on charge of joining the movement. At the same time, the government should repeal Section 57 of the ICT Act, which has turned out to be a steamroller of torture. Some of the students have secured bail. Giving bail is not relevant here.

Because, many students are still behind bars and the students are still being placed on remand. A person is apprehended and tortured in remanded. An environment of fear and intimidation has been created. Who will take the responsibility for creating the environment?

Giving bail to person does not solve all the problems. Who will take the responsibility when a person is tortured in remand before trial?

The students sustained injuries and their study has been hampered. Who will compensate for the losses? The journalists also came under attack while covering the incidents. It is not certain if the injured journalists will be able to recover. Who will pay compensation to the journalists? Why the attackers in helmets were not arrested? The ministers of the government have come up with assurance of taking actions. The assurance bears no importance as the government proved it time again.

Based on an interview by Mehedi Hasan, translated by Hossen Sohel