Main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir alleged on Sunday that the government had been carrying out state-sponsored terrorism to remove the opposition from the field ahead of the next general election.
‘The situation is getting more complicated every day. The recent incidents in view of the current political context in Bangladesh are giving an indication that they (govt) will try to usurp power again after illegally removing the opposition parties from the (election) field by any means, applying all strengths and using the state machinery,’ he said.
Speaking at a press conference at the BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office, the BNP leader also said that the government’s main goal now was to clear the election field by driving away the opposition parties with repressive acts.
He said that the Awami League became a terrorist party while the police had been indulging in the acts of terrorists at the behest of the current ‘illegal’ regime. ‘We can call it state-sponsored terrorism, which is now going on. The judiciary, law enforcement agencies, and all other state institutions have been working similarly,’ he said.
Fakhrul said that they had some documents on the government’s instructions to the judges to promptly dispose of the cases against the opposition leaders and activists and take the deposition of witnesses even by picking them up. ‘This is a terrible situation. On the one hand, repression is going on by police and on the other, a programme is on to hurriedly convict (the opposition leaders) by judges to clear the field,’ he said.
The BNP leader alleged that the law enforcers were arresting the BNP leaders and talking about subversive activities with the aim of creating an untoward situation and shifting the blame onto the opposition.
‘This is nothing new, as they did the same thing in the past in the same way…they’re talking about these things (violence and subversive acts) to prepare the ground. Where did we indulge in terrorism as you (govt) are doing it? The guns, pistols, and laws are in your hands. You’re carrying out terror acts using the state machinery,’ he said.
About the statement of the DB police regarding the arrest of six leaders of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal with arms, the BNP leader said that it was a blatant lie and a politically motivated move.
He lamented that, despite being a state force, the police were now working for the ruling party.
‘A case was filed against Chhatra Dal leaders under the Arms Act. The weapons the DB showed up with in their press briefing were (made) in the prehistoric period,’ he said.
He said that the DB said the BNP collected these arms to foil the election. ‘We’re surprised that they're now speaking entirely in favour of a political party. It can be understood that their statements are political,’ he said.
He demanded the release of the Chhatra Dal leaders.
The Detective Branch of Dhaka Metropolitan Police said that they arrested six leaders of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal from Dhaka’s Lalbagh area on Saturday and seized three illegal firearms and 36 bullets from them.
During the preliminary interrogation, the DB police said that the arrested admitted that the high command of the BNP and its student wing’s units at Dhaka University and other private universities were planning to display the illegal firearms and create panic among the public in order to destabilise the country.
Fakhrul condemned and protested the attacks on their peaceful march programme in different parts of the country, including Narayanganj and Habiganj, by police on Saturday and the arrest of BNP leaders and workers, including Dhaka south city unit acting member secretary Tanveer Ahmed Robin.
