Attack on AL rally

The way the attack was carried out points to a very well organised, well planned and a professionally executed operation. It would not be wrong to suggest that the timing, the mechanism used and the targets were selected in a manner, which would cause the maximum death and destruction.

No word is strong enough to condemn this most heinous and dastardly acts in recent times. Our hearts go out to the families of all those who have lost their lives. We understand that the leader of the opposition, Sheikh Hasina escaped the attack unscathed though AL leaders claimed her car was shot at too. We are relieved at the news of her well being. At the same time we cannot but express our anguish and dismay at the large number of casualties that the attack has caused.

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We are shocked at the senseless killing of innocent people. This is the latest in a series of bomb attacks that have targeted VIPs and politically important personalities as well as innocent civilians. What is galling is the fact that instead of looking at these attacks in an objective manner, all sorts of rationalisation was resorted to, to deflect the attention elsewhere, thus diluting the seriousness of the cases.

We fail to understand the motives of those that are perpetrating these violent acts. We have been alerting the government, ad naseaum, to get at the roots of all the bomb blasts that have occurred in the country. We had also cautioned the authorities of the serious consequences of letting these incidents go untracked and unsolved.

At times like this it is but natural for tempers to be frayed. But we must guard against recrimination and blame game. All of us must keep our calm. At the same time, no effort should be spared by the government to ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order, and go whole hog to track down those responsible for this heinous crime.

Nothing will please the perpetrators more than see to us degenerating into chaos and conflict.