BNP chief Khaleda Zia’s comments over police’s role during her party-led agitation earlier this year were ‘unfortunate’, says Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Hoque.
The police chief advised the former prime minister to be ‘more responsible’ while making statements.
“It’s unfortunate when someone issues political statements in an effort to tarnish police’s image,” he told a media briefing on Sunday.
Speaking at an Iftar hosted by pro-BNP lawyers’ forum on Saturday, Khaleda said, “It was the police who hurled petrol bombs during our agitation. They had also set fire to buses.”
The police chief brushed aside Khaleda’s claim as “nothing but lies.”
Over 150 people died—mostly from firebombing on buses— in the three months from January this year, when the BNP-led alliance had enforced a countrywide blockade of rails, roads and waterways.
Khaleda has been accused of instigating the attacks in some of the cases over those incidents.
“It’s clear as daylight, who had hurled petrol bombs and killed people in acts of arson,” said Hoque.
Refuting Khaleda’s claim of judiciary being kept on a short leash by the government, the IGP said, “Everyone knows the political ideology of those arrested while hurling petrol bombs and committing violence.
“Some of them have also confessed in court.”
Source: Bd news24
