BNP to accord reception to FFs; Jamaat not invited

The main opposition BNP will accord a reception to freedom fighters in the capital on Wednesday on the occasion of the Victory Day.

The party invited all the sector commanders and decided not to invite Jamaat-e-Islami, a key partner in the BNP-led 18-party alliance, to attend the programme.

BNP Chairperson and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Khaleda Zia will attend the programme to be held at Mahanagar Natya Mancho.

“We have completed our preparations. Those who are spreading that we have invited Jamaat in the programme had adopted the path of lies,” BNP standing committee member Tariqul Islam said while addressing a press briefing at the party’s central office in Nayapaltan.

Shahjahan Omar, convener of rally preparation committee, said, “This reception programme is not a political programme. It’s a non-party neutral programme. The 18-party is not in this programme.”

“So-called Razakars, so-called Jamaat and so-called war criminals are not here,” said Omar, also a former state minister.

He alleged that the Muktijodda Sangsad chairman is trying to pursue the freedom fighters so that they do not come to the rally. “We did not expect it from him. I hope he will also attend the programme.”

Tariqul, who is now carrying the party’s acting secretary general’s activities, said the freedom fighters are not property of any political party. “We expect all the freedom fighters who were in the battlefield in 1971 will attend the reception programme.”

BNP standing committee member Goyeshwar Chandra Roy, Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, among others, was present in the briefing.

Source:The Daily Star