'Hartal called giving no time

'Hartal called giving no time'

 Dhaka, Apr 22 — State minister for home Shamsul Hoque Tuku on Sunday complained the BNP enforced the lockdown without allowing the government enough time to find out their missing leader M Ilias Ali.

The junior minister told journalists at his Secretariat office opposition leaders had sought assistance from the government to locate Ilias Ali when they met home minister Shahara Khatun. She had also promised maximum cooperation.

"But the opposition called the general strike without allowing the minimum logical time," he said.

The main opposition party enforced the countrywide daylong shutdown as one of its organising secretary, Ilias Ali, remained missing since early hours of last Wednesday.

Tuku alleged that the opposition unleashed terror in places within hours of the assurance from the government. "They damaged property and lives of people by enforcing a hartal in Sylhet at first and then called a countrywide hartal and carried out violence and murders the night before enforcing it."

At least eight vehicles were set ablaze in Dhaka on Saturday night and a bus driver was burned alive.

The state minister said people were concerned over the death of a bus driver at Khilgaon in the city on the shutdown eve. "The opposition has indulged in killing to divert the incident of Ilias Ali going missing," he added.

The BNP should help the government by providing information relating to its allegation that the government was involved in the 'forced disappearance' of Ilias.

Law-enforcing agencies have engaged their full force to search out Ilias, he added, terming the incident 'sad' and 'unexpected.'

"The reality is we succeed in many cases and in others we don't."

Asked how the government will respond to a call for an indefinite general strike as the BNP hinted, he said the four-party coalition has become 18-Party Coalition only to spoil the trial of suspected war criminals.

They can announce programmes, Tuku observed, but it was the government's responsibility to ensure security of lives and properties of the people.

As regards the allegation of violent repression of the opposition, the state minister said, "The law-enforcing agencies do their job if there is any incident of picketing. Action is being taken for creating anarchy under the guise of holding peaceful programme."

He criticised the opposition for enforcing the strike while the HSC examinations were going on.