Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman today said the responsibility of maintaining peace and order in the country lies with the ruling party, which must take necessary steps to ensure it.

“However, we have long seen violence originating from the ruling side. There is no place for physical violence in politics. Since the birth of Bangladesh, muscle power has been used in politics, and no government has been able to break free from this practice,” he said.

He was speaking as the chief guest at a views-exchange meeting with journalists and media workers at the Bagerhat Circuit House auditorium at 10:30am.

Regarding Awami League, Shafiqur said the party was not yet fit to return to politics as it had destroyed the country’s politics and established a reign of terror.

“They made numerous people disappear, and not all of those who went missing have returned. Under such circumstances, it would be tragic for the nation if the Awami League returned to politics in any new guise,” he said, adding that the party continued to engage in instigation.

He warned that bringing members of a party that had “committed murders, enforced disappearances and turned against an entire generation” into another party without any remorse, merely to boost its numbers, would be unjust and amount to a heinous act.

“However, we believe the government should take responsibility for bringing Hasina back. She must face trial,” he said.

Regarding media freedom, he said, “It cannot yet be said that the media is fully independent. Every government has claimed that the media is completely independent, but I have never believed that, and I still do not. The media, however, needs to be independent.”

Speaking about increases in gas, electricity and fuel prices, as well as “ghost bills”, he said people’s lives had become increasingly difficult.

“Ghost bills have been appearing over the past two months. You did not supply electricity, yet the bill has doubled. Those who speak out against this are being threatened by the ministry. Why is this happening? It should not happen,” he said.

On the government’s performance, he said the public would ultimately judge the ruling party over its five-year term.

“Let the ruling party say whether the government has succeeded or failed. The people are already giving their verdict,” he said.