Referring to a recent report of Netra News on the horrific experiences of the enforced disappearance victims, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday said Amnesty International has strongly denounced the human rights violations by issuing a statement and urged the visiting UN Human Rights chief Michelle Bachelet to take steps for an independent and impartial inquiry into these 'barbaric' practices.
"There is no reason to take the matter lightly. Many of our brothers were made disappeared and we did not get many of them back. Our over 600 leaders and activists have been made disappeared and tortured. From this programme, we demand that an impartial committee of the UN be formed to look into the matter and take action against those responsible," he said.
Speaking at a doa mahfil at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, he also said the current government has lost ground under its feet as the country’s people are not with them. “But we know this regime won’t t go easily. That is why we want to mobilise people and all the political forces to remove this government."
As part of BNP’s countrywide programme, its Dhaka north and south city units organised the doa mahfil, marking the 77th birthday of BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.
Mirza Fakhrul renewed their party’s demand for the unconditional release of Khaleda Zia for the sake of democracy.
He said Khaleda Zia and democracy are inseparably linked.
"She struggled to restore democracy throughout her life. She has now been kept under house arrest by the fascist Awami League government due to her efforts to restore democracy. So, our first condition is that she be released unconditionally,” the BNP leader said.
He said Khaleda is not an ordinary leader as she has become an institution with her continuous struggle for democracy, emancipation and the wellbeing of people by sacrificing the happiness of her earthly life.
Fakhrul wised Khaleda a long life on the occasion of her birthday. “We pray to Allah for her recovery so that she can return to us and lead us in the days to come."
