BNP Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has accused the government of turning the country into a necropolis by killing leaders and activists of the 19-Party alliance in the name of ‘crossfire’.
He made the allegation at a press conference at the party’s headquarters in Dhaka’s Naya Paltan on Thursday.
He came down heavily on the government for the operation launched by the joint forces in different districts after the Jan 5 national election.
“Opposition leaders are being picked up and killed in crossfire across the country every day in the name of joint forces’ operation.”
“Several days after their enforced disappearance, their bodies are being found in ponds, marshlands or in river shoals. Where will we keep all these bodies? The government has turned the country into a land of the dead.”
Earlier on Tuesday, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia claimed at a press conference that 242 leaders and activists of the alliance had been killed and 60 others were abducted in the last one month by law enforcers and ruling party ‘cadres’.
But ruling Awami League’s senior leader and Health Minister Mohammad Nasim, at a press meet on Wednesday, denied the Khaleda’s allegation.
He defended the joint forces’ operation, saying ‘power sometimes needs to be exercised to bring peace’.
The government said they launched the drive to nab those who had unleashed ‘subversive acts’ after the polls but the BNP claimed the operation aimed at suppressing the opposition.
Rizvi demanded the drive be stopped immediately.
He highlighted some incidents of killing and enforced disappearance of BNP leaders.
Rizvi said law enforcers picked up ‘Jaban’, Sayedabad union leader of BNP’s youth front Jubo Dal in Sirajganj, several days back. “His body was found on Thursday.”
He said the BNP leader in Sirajganj, ‘Jahangir’, had been missing for the past 15 days and another leader in Lakshmipur, Omar Faruk, was picked up by RAB several days before.
He alleged that apart from the law enforcers, Awami League men were also attacking the alliance leaders and activists.
“Awami League cadres in police uniform attacked opposition leaders including BNP’s Parshuram Upazila unit Organising Secretary in Feni,” Rizvi said.
He slammed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for calling those killed in joint forces’ operation ‘terrorists’.
“It’s obvious that the government which has no people’s support will call the killed terrorists.
“(Pakistani general) Tikka Khan had described the freedom fighters of this country as terrorists. We believe the soul of Pakistan is dominating the government.”
Hasina, while visiting Awami League leaders admitted to National Institute of Traumatology Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation (Pongu Hospital) on Wednesday, said those who were being arrested and killed in joint forces’ drive were terrorists.
Source: Bd news24
