Bangladesh Nationalist Party vice-chairman Khandaker Mahbub Hossain on Sunday accused the government of killing the suspected militants unlawfully, and likened it to crime against humanity.
Speaking at a discussion, he also alleged that the government is staging a drama by resorting to ‘extrajudicial’ killings of militants instead of capturing them alive.
‘Why’ve got 13 militants killed by the time? Were they (militants) so powerful that our law enforcers could not arrest them alive? The government is, in fact, staging a drama by killing them to deceive people over its efforts to eliminate extremism,’ the BNP leader said.
Mahbub, also a senior Supreme Court lawyer, said, ‘The suspected militants are being killed and made disappeared instead of collecting information from them. As a lawyer, I think, it’s crime against humanity the way the killings are carried out.’
He also warned that those who now indulge in such ‘indiscriminate, extrajudicial and unconstitutional’ killings may face trial in international court some day.
The BNP leader also suggested the government not to take credit by resorting to ‘extrajudicial’ killings of militants as its consequence can be very dangerous.
All Community Forum, a pro-BNP platform, arranged the programme demanding the release of BNP leaders and activists, including its senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
On Saturday, 12 suspected militants were killed in raids by law enforcers on four houses in Gazipur, Tangail and in Dhaka’s Baipail.
Mahbub alleged that the government is trying to obliterate the judiciary after destroying all democratic institutions to hang onto power.
Mentioning that the government is trying to make BNP leaders disqualified for the next election by convicting them in ‘false’ cases, he warned that this move will turn futile as the country’s people are very conscious.
Mahbub also warned the government that the consequence will be dire if it tries to convict BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.
He also called upon the government to return to the path of negotiation and democracy in the interest of the country and its people.
Source: New Age
