A few days ago the Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner made comments regarding the recent attack on the residence of the Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University. He noted that the attack had been the work of professionals. In other words, the way in which the vandalism was carried out, with the windows of the house getting smashed, the CCTV cameras getting broken and then carried away and the vehicles parked in the compounds of the residence coming under attack --- is a broad hint of the crime being the work of people who have been trained to carry out such wanton destruction of property. We appreciate the fact that the DMP Commissioner has promised to nab the elements behind the attack and bring them to book. The sooner these criminals are nabbed and brought to justice, the better for all of us.

Indeed, considering the situation arising out of the attack on the VC's residence, when the VC and his family found themselves in a terrifying situation and feared for their lives, it is clear that the students' movement on the quota issue had a number of saboteurs coming into it. The nation has observed the manner in which the students' movement has been going on. Nothing was there in the protest demonstrations to suggest that the students were in a militant mood or were ready to indulge in vandalism in order to press their points. In fact, we must record our appreciation that, except for creating impediments in the way of citizens' movements by blocking off roads, the student community remained focused on advancing its cause through logical means. It is therefore unreasonable and unfair to believe that there could be among this large body of students some of their own who would be armed with rods, hockey sticks and other means of violence that could jeopardize their movement. It is not unreasonable to suppose that these men, who conveniently were masked, were people who were there to cause grievous harm not only to the anti-quota movement but also the family of the DU Vice Chancellor. Their sinister goal may indeed have been to leave a trail of blood at the VC's residence.

The police must go into concerted action to identify the elements behind the attack on the VC's home. Unless they are caught and punished, a time may come when crimes of a much more serious nature may be committed, leaving the nation facing a bad law and order situation.

By Editor-in-Chief -Enayetullah Khan