Recent tense, emotional and violent incidents in Chattogram have once again brought the activities of the banned Awami League, Chhatra League and their affiliated groups into discussion.
Political analysts, university teachers and eminent citizens, who wished to remain anonymous, said a “third party” might be exploiting spontaneous public anger, protests and uncontrolled situations to steer events in a different direction, raising questions over whether the clashes were purely emotional reactions or part of a planned attempt to create instability.
At least two major incidents in recent weeks have fuelled the debate. One was the funeral prayer of former minister and Awami League Presidium Member Engineer Mosharraf Hossain, while the other involved public outrage over the alleged rape of a child in Bakalia.
In both cases, there were widespread allegations of active participation by leaders and activists of banned organisations.
Former Chattogram-1 lawmaker and former housing minister Engineer Mosharraf Hossain died on 13 May. A large crowd gathered at the Jamiatul Falah mosque ground in the port city for his funeral prayer, where activists of banned organisations were allegedly seen chanting slogans and bringing out processions. Police later detained several people to control the situation.
Just a week later, Chattogram turned tense again. Protests erupted in Bakalia on Thursday afternoon after demands were raised for a man accused of attempted raping a four-year-old child to be handed over to the public.
The situation gradually spiralled out of control, with repeated clashes, chases and counter-chases between protesters and police spreading across several kilometres.
Locals alleged that activists of banned organisations took advantage of the volatile situation by blending into the crowd, joining the clashes, chanting provocative slogans and attempting to deepen the unrest.
Eyewitnesses said many people involved in the clashes wore masks, and some former Chittagong University Chhatra League activists were allegedly identified among them. Locals also claimed several masked individuals were seen creating disturbances near the Kalpalok residential area.
Local Chhatra Dal leader Nur Jahed Babul said he recognised three or four people from his area wearing masks during the clashes.
Another local resident, Touhid, said many participants had covered their faces and appeared to have arrived with a planned intention.
Similar allegations have also emerged over recent clashes between Chhatra Dal and Islami Chhatra Shibir at Chattogram Government City College.
Locals said Chhatra League activists brought out sudden processions in several parts of the city and nearby upazilas following the violence.
Political circles have also discussed possible Awami League involvement in exploiting tensions between BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami surrounding the Chattogram District Bar Association election.
The analysts, teachers and citizens said when public anger becomes uncontrollable, there is always a risk that a third party may exploit the situation to divert events elsewhere.
According to them, banned or politically cornered groups may use such moments to regain visibility.
They stressed that while protests demanding justice over crimes are a democratic right, they must not turn into “mob justice”, as that creates opportunities for instigators and conflict-seekers to become active.
Security analysts said both law enforcement agencies and the public needed to remain alert to prevent emotional situations from becoming tools for violence.
They also called for stronger monitoring of rumours, provocations and organised violence on social media. City BNP Member Secretary Nazimur Rahman said it was natural for banned organisations to seek opportunities, but law enforcement agencies must deal with them strictly since they had been outlawed. “Just as Jamaat-Shibir conducts covert politics, the banned groups are now using the same tactics,” he said.
City Jamaat Secretary Muhammad Nurul Amin alleged that Awami League and Chhatra League activists had been jointly involved with BNP in extortion and mafia-style activities.
He also claimed a large portion of those involved in the City College clashes and the Bakalia incident. Part of civil society has called for an impartial investigation into the recent incidents, saying it is important to identify who mixed with crowds to provoke violence and who deliberately pushed the situations towards unrest.
They warned that without proper identification of those responsible, similar instability could recur in the future.
They added that intelligence surveillance, CCTV analysis and social media monitoring needed to be strengthened to prevent these kinds of incidents.
Chattogram Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner (South) Hossain Mohammad Kabir Bhuiya told TIMES of Bangladesh that supporters of one political group had used the rape allegation as an opportunity.
He further alleged that banned organisations had used drug addicts, most of whom were under 20 years old.
