BNP Standing Committee Member Salahuddin Ahmed has sharply criticized the current state of law and order in the country, claiming that Bangladesh is no longer governed by democracy but by “mobocracy.”
Speaking as the chief guest at a protest rally organized by Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal in front of the BNP’s central office in Naya Paltan on Thursday, Salahuddin said,
“We launched the July uprising for democracy. But now what we see across the country is mobocracy. We demanded democracy, and what we’re getting instead is mobocracy.”
The remarks come in response to recent political violence, most notably the attack on NCP’s July March rally in Gopalganj, allegedly carried out by ruling party supporters. Salahuddin posed a rhetorical question to the crowd, asking,
“Why is this happening? Who dares to challenge the strength of this people’s uprising?”
He went on to identify two main culprits behind the rise of lawlessness:
- The government’s silence, and
- Its failure to uphold law and order.
The BNP leader alleged that the interim government has remained indifferent in the face of escalating violence, allowing pro-regime forces to operate unchecked.
The Jubo Dal, BNP’s youth wing, organized Thursday’s demonstration to protest what they described as “the nationwide deterioration of law and order” under the watch of the interim administration. Following the rally, protesters marched through key locations including Nightingale intersection, Bijoynagar, Paltan, Press Club, Kadam Fountain, Matsya Bhaban, and Shahbagh.
The protest was presided over by Jubo Dal President Abdul Monayem Munna and conducted by General Secretary Mohammad Nurul Islam Nayan.
As political unrest continues to brew in the post-uprising landscape, Salahuddin’s “mobocracy” comment has sparked reactions online and within political circles, raising questions about whether the interim government is truly capable of ensuring a level playing field ahead of the national elections.
