DCCI worried over chaos, seeks remedy

Businesses on Thursday continued to express their frustration over the current political stalemate stemmed from repeated shutdowns enforced by opposition political parties.

After Wednesday’s statement by the FBBCI seeking an end to the deepening crisis, a delegation of the DCCI on Thursday repeated the demand arguing that the volatile political situation was hurting the country’s economy.

The FBCCI on Wednesday demanded a legal ban on strikes and insisted that government and opposition parties sit across the table for a solution.

Main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party enforced a daylong general strike across the country on Thursday, the fourth this week. Jamaat-e-Islami had enforced a 48-hour shutdown on Sunday and Monday followed by BNP’s strike on Tuesday. Meanwhile, attacks have been reported from across the country amid an increasingly tense public life following last week’s war crimes trial verdict.

On Thursday, the DCCI team led by its President Sabur Khan met Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith and shared their concern.

“Places of worshipping, banks, insurance offices, ATM booths, car showrooms are being attacked,” Khan said.

He urged the Finance Minister to help reach a solution for the sake of the economy.

The Finance Minister, meanwhile, said those who were involved in the attacks, vandalism and arson across the country were against the country’s interest.

Pointing at Jamaat-e-Islami and its student wing Islami Chhatra Shibir, Muhith said, “Those who are involved in such attacks are acting against the country.”

“They are not protesters, they are Bangladesh’s enemy. They must be punished.”

About global media, he said, “Violence has taken took place in 15 districts. Of them, six districts have experienced most of the violence. But the international media outlets are running a large-scale propaganda. They are portraying more than the actual incidents.”

The government says that at least 67 people, including seven policemen, died in the rampage of the Jamaat and Shibir across the country over last few days after its leader Delwar Hossain Sayedee was sentenced last Thursday to death by a tribunal dealing with war crimes.

The fundamentalist party is also blamed for attacking Hindus, prompting Amnesty International to issue a statement seeking protection of the religious minorities.