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State minister for information and broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat reiterated on Sunday that the government sought to resolve the ongoing crisis peacefully through dialogue, while also emphasising that they would take strong action against those who resorted to violence.

‘We want to resolve the crisis peacefully through talks, but at the same time, we want to make it clear that if terrorists engage in violence, the law will be enforced,’ he told reporters during a briefing on Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban premises.

Arafat stressed that the government would target genuine terrorists, not innocent protesters, noting that the student movement had strayed from its original purpose and had turned into an act of terrorism and violence then.

‘Our stance is in favour of peace, dialogue, and holding accountable those responsible for the casualties in the recent violence,’ Arafat said, adding, ‘Many people are shocked by the deaths of several children.’

Highlighting that the entire nation of 17 crore people was mourning the deaths of those children, he stated, ‘We need to investigate these incidents to take legal action against the real culprits.’

Arafat questioned the motives behind those deaths, pointing out that the children were not involved in protests against the government.

‘What harm could these children have caused to the government? And how could the government have benefited from these killings?’ he asked.

He urged the public to consider these questions and suggested that miscreants took advantage of these tragic events, using the deaths of children to incite the public and lead them astray.

‘They are now trying to achieve their evil objectives.’

Reaffirming the government’s commitment to bringing the perpetrators to justice, Arafat said, ‘The judicial commission has already begun its work and today [on Sunday] travelled to Rangpur to investigate the incidents.’

The state minister also mentioned that the judicial commission had invited foreign experts to assist with the investigation to ensure complete transparency.

He emphasised that only the genuine perpetrators would be brought to justice.

‘We will learn the facts after the investigation, including whether the deaths were caused by anyone within the movement or by police actions,’ he said, adding, ‘The death toll included those who were burnt in fires set by demonstrators.’

Noting the difficulty in identifying those who were burnt, Arafat asked, ‘Will the government be held responsible for these deaths?’

He criticised the demonstrators for attributing the blame to the government before the investigation was completed, suggesting that they did not want the real culprits to be held accountable.

He added that their true intentions became clear on Saturday when they announced their one-point demand.

Arafat argued that the demonstrators were pursuing their demands through terrorism and violence, pointing to the recent rampage at BSMMU as an example.

‘They, however, were resisted by the general public who were inside the hospital. The people are now uniting against the terrorists. This is the reality,’ he said.

The state minister emphasised that all issues could be resolved if a healthy democratic process and discipline prevailed in the country.

‘But you cannot achieve anything through terrorism and violence by creating chaos.’

‘We have shown great tolerance and are willing to show more. The Awami League and prime minister Sheikh Hasina have numerous supporters, including members of associate bodies,’ Arafat said, adding, ‘If Sheikh Hasina calls upon them, they will take to the streets to resist the terrorists.’

‘But we keep the door open for dialogue to avoid the path of violence.’

Responding to a question, Arafat said that the protesters revealed their true intentions by aligning with the demands of BNP-Jamaat, adding that the perpetrators had come to the forefront then, exposing the government to the challenge posed on October 28, 2023.

As the protesters’ demands align with those of BNP-Jamaat, Arafat concluded, their demonstration now appears to be a political demand of BNP-Jamaat, and ‘we will address it politically’.