Govt wants to resolve crisis peacefully through talks: Arafat

State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat today (4 August) reiterated that the government wants to resolve the crisis peacefully through talks, but simultaneously it will resist terrorists if they want to carry out sabotage acts.

"We want to resolve the crisis peacefully through talks . . . but, simultaneously, we want to say if the terrorists carry out violence, the law will be enforced," he told reporters after emerging from the meeting of National Committee on Security Affairs (NCSA) at Gonobhaban in the city.

Noting that the government will resist the actual terrorists, not general innocent protesters, he said the student movement has lost its right direction, now it has turned into terrorism and violence.

"Our stance was in favour of peace, talks and holding trials of the casualties caused in the recent violence." Arafat said, adding many people were shocked at the deaths several children.

Pointing that the 17-crore people of the country are mourning for deaths of children, he said, "We have to investigate these incidents to take legal action against the genuine culprits".

Since these children were not demonstrating on the streets to topple the government, the state minister questioned, "What kind of harm would these children cause to the government? And how did the government get benefited through these killings?"

He urged the people to think about these questions and said miscreants took the advantage of these deaths and standing on bodies of the children, they instigated the people and mislead them to a wrong path. 

"They are now trying to gain their evil objectives," Arafat added.

Stating the government is firmly committed to hold the trials of the casualties, he said, "The judicial commission has already started activities and today went to Rangpur to investigate the incidents."

The judicial commission has invited the foreign experts to help in the investigation process to ensure cent percent transparency of the probe, the state minister said, adding only genuine perpetrators will be brought to justice.

"We will know the facts after the investigation whether the deaths were caused by anyone inside the movement or police firing," he said, adding, the death list also included those people who were burnt down by the fire set by demonstrators.

Noting it was not possible to identify the identities of the people burnt, Arafat questioned, "Will the government take responsibility of these deaths?"

But they [demonstrators] wanted to give the verdict attributing the liability of these casualties to the government before conducting investigation into the incidents, he said, adding, it has now been cleared that they don't want to let the genuine miscreants face the music, rather they revealed their real wish on Saturday.

Thorough announcing the one-point demand, After said, they wanted to press home their demand following the path of terrorism and violence, otherwise, "why would they have carried out rampage in BSMMU?"
 
"However, they were resisted by the general people who were inside the hospital. The people are now being united against the terrorists. It is now reality," he added.

The state minister said everything can be solved if a healthy democratic trend and discipline prevail in the country, "but you cannot do anything following the path of terrorism and violence by creating chaos in the country".

"We show much tolerance and want to show more. The Awami League (AL) and Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have numerous supporters, including members of associate bodies," Arafat said, adding, if Bangabandhu's daughter calls them, they will come to streets to resists the terrorists.

"But we keep open the door of discussion to avert the path of violence," he said.

Replying to a question, the state minister said the protesters resolved their own identities by expressing solidarity with the demand of BNP-Jamaat and the perpetrators came to front now "exposing us to the challenge of October 28 in 2023".

As their demands are met, Arafat said, their demonstration now seems to be BNP-Jamaat's political demand, "so we will address it politically".