Don't attack properties of Hasina, AL leaders on any pretext: Yunus asks citizens, warns action
The government also warned that any attempts to destabilise the country through provocative activities will be met with strict and immediate action by law enforcement agencies
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus called on citizens to immediately restore complete law and order and to ensure there will be no further attacks on properties associated with the family of Sheikh Hasina and politicians of the fascist Awami League party or against any citizen on any pretext.
He also said any attempts to destabilise the country through any kind of provocative activities would be met with strong actions, be it anyone.
In a statement issued this evening (7 February), he said, "The government is working with the country's security forces to preserve law and order and to protect the lives and property of all Bangladeshis.
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"If any attempt is made to destabilise the country through any kind of provocative activities, law enforcement agencies will immediately take strict action against anyone acting to create chaos and anarchy, which emphatically includes the destruction of property."
"The government will bring the responsible individuals and groups to justice," he added.
Appealing to the citizens to abide by the law, Yunus said, "The anger of the activists who have attacked properties is understandable because they and their relatives and friends lived through years of tyranny under Hasina.
"The government understands the activists' sense of outrage that even from her refuge in New Delhi Hasina continues to try to mobilise her militants to hamper Bangladesh's recovery from her years of abuse."
He said, "Despite this understanding, the government appeals to the citizens to abide by the law to show the world we are a nation that respects the rule of law. Respecting the rule of law is what differentiates the new Bangladesh we are working together to build from the old Bangladesh under the fascist regime."
"Let us not undermine Bangladeshis' sense of security and stability; any disregard for the law endangers the lives and property of citizens," he added.
Addressing the citizens who rose and overthrew the Hasina regime in July and August to realise their dreams for the country, he said, "It is imperative to prove to ourselves and our friends around the world that our commitment to our principles – respecting one another's civil and human rights and acting under the law – is unshakable.
"Champions of a just new Bangladesh must never act in ways that could support any perceived equivalence, however unjust, between the behaviour of today's institutions and those of the ousted autocrats."
The leaders of the fascist regime have left the country in complete ruins. "They have no chance to come back as long as we remain alert and retain the moral high ground," said Prof Yunus in the statement.
"Any attacks on their properties give them an excuse to draw international attention to themselves and dish out their fabricated stories. We are in the process of trying them for their crimes against humanity. The whole world is with us. Any deterioration of law and order will give a wrong message to the world," he added.
The chief adviser also called on all citizens to materialise our dream of building a country where all Bangladeshis can live in security and dignity, act with self-discipline and channel their energy into productive, peaceful efforts to support positive changes, read the statement.
In another statement posted at 1:01am yesterday on the Chief Adviser GOB's Facebook page, amid ongoing vandalism and attack on properties and murals of the Sheikh family and Awami League leaders, he expressed deep concern over attempts by certain individuals and groups to vandalise and set fire to various institutions and establishments across the country and vowed to take strong action against such activities.
On Thursday, the chief adviser issued a statement in the afternoon terming the vandalism on the Dhanmondi 32 residence of Sheikh Mujib unintended and unwanted.
The interim government, however, said Sheikh Hasina's provocative statement against the July Uprising while in India had created deep anger in the public mind, which was expressed.
"There was no attack or vandalism of any kind at this house in the last six months. This [vandalism] happened last night centring the speech of the fugitive Sheikh Hasina…," the statement said.
