AL men not above the law

The continuing intra party violence that is taking place within the Awami League and the incidents of death and destruction resulting from clashes between ruling party members is a bad example for both society and politics and is creating an environment of lawlessness that is worrying. According to a rights group, 52 Awami League men were killed from January last year till October this year. During the same period, nearly 3,500 individuals were injured in 334 incidents of internal clashes. 

It has been alleged that the clashes have mostly been taking place over establishing supremacy in different areas and over making money in unlawful ways such as through extortion, tender manipulation and influencing the government's development works. All of these are matters of concern in themselves; the violence, however, that has followed only worsens the image of the ruling party to the electorates.

The fact that the party top brass has only dealt with party miscreants leniently at best has further created an environment of impunity where they possibly feel they can get away with just about anything. And this certainly does not help the law and order in society. Absence of any meaningful political opposition, according to political analysts, is another factor which has led to this air of impunity expanding to the point where some party members are carrying out such criminal activities openly.

The Awami League, as the ruling party, has a special responsibility in thwarting such dangers to law and order. Law enforcement agencies also must deal with individuals who are involved in criminal activities, regardless of their affiliation with the ruling party, in the interest of upholding the law.