Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan has urged the students, protesting for safer roads, to return home.
“Their demands are not going unfulfilled. Two of the nine demands, such as the law, will take time. It was presented to cabinet tomorrow. The honourable prime minister has told the army to arrange the underpass and work is proceeding,” the home minister said.
“There is nothing more to be done. So I say to them, go home,” he added, reports bdnews24.com.
The home minister made the statement while launching a nationwide ‘Traffic Week’ in Gulistan on Sunday.
The minister said law enforcers and security forces have shown patience. This does not mean that they will tolerate anarchy.
"We also have a limit. We will take action if that limit is exceeded,” he warned.
“Police will remain firm on enforcing the law,” said Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia. “But our behaviour can be flexible.”
“Here we have to enforce the traffic laws,” said Inspector General of Police Mohammad Javed Patwary. “The law is meant to be followed, not enforced.”
The ‘Traffic Week’ was announced after students calling for safer roads took to the streets and began to check the licenses of cars and drivers.
Though the government has accepted nine demands made by the student protesters, they have not called off their demonstrations. The student protests have recently been attacked.
The home minister said, “As I said previously, efforts are being made to misdirect the student protests. You are seeing thousands wearing student ID cards around their necks. But many of them are adults, not schoolchildren.”
He also raised the question of rumours that were being spread.
“It is the same thing as happened in Pakistan, as happened in Delhi, as happened here in 2013 and 2014.”
“Insulting comments are being made about leaders. This is evidence of a perverse mindset. Avoid such things, otherwise we will take action.”
He also mentioned the spread of an alleged audio recording of BNP’s Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and a video made by actress Quazi Nawshaba Ahmed.
“It is not just her [Nawshaba]. Even our responsible leader [Amir Khosru] is involved. We knew him as a good leader. But he is calling for people from Cumilla to come to Dhaka and commit violence.”