Restraint Must Guide Political Activism

Nurul Huq Nur, President, Gono Odhikar Parishad.

Sir,

The recent spate of violence targeting political offices—most notably the attack on the Jatiya Party office and the grievous injury inflicted on Nurul Haque Nur, President of Gono Odhikar Parishad—marks a troubling descent from principled dissent into destructive confrontation. While the frustrations of young political workers are understandable, especially in light of the roles certain parties played over the past sixteen years in enabling authoritarianism and suppressing democratic rights, the path forward must be one of lawful engagement, not retaliatory force.

Democracy demands accountability, and citizens have every right to demand punitive measures against those who undermined voting rights and democratic institutions. But such demands must be channeled through the government and the rule of law. When individuals or groups attempt to enforce political outcomes through violence or intimidation, they erode the very democratic norms they claim to defend.

The attack on Nurul Haque Nur—described by witnesses as brutal and potentially life-threatening—cannot be condoned under any circumstance. Nor can the arson and vandalism of party offices be accepted as legitimate protest. These acts do not strengthen the cause of justice; they weaken it by sowing chaos and fear.

Political activism must be rooted in restraint, dialogue, and lawful pressure. Let us campaign vigorously for truth and accountability. Let us expose the complicity of those who enabled fascism. But let us also remember that reform is not achieved by force—it is earned through principled struggle and democratic consensus.

Yours sincerely, Abdul Aziz, Dhaka