Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia on Tuesday claimed that the government was killing and subjecting her party’s dedicated leaders and activists to enforced disappearance to cling to power forever.
‘They (government) thought that BNP would become weak and vanish if her party’s dedicated leaders and activists could be eliminated,’ she said.
Khaleda, a former prime minister, came up with the remarks when briefly addressing an iftar party.
The BNP chief hosted the iftar at a city hotel in honour of the families of those leaders and activists of her party, who were either killed or had been victims of enforced disappearance during the past anti-government movement in 2013-14.
Khaleda said the incumbent government after coming to power carried out killings and enforced disappearances.
She said earlier they (Awami League government) had also done this before but this time they (government) were doing this in a way which was ‘indescribable’ and ‘unimaginable’.
Khaleda expressed hope that those who were missing would be traced out and come back to their families after exit of the ‘oppressive’ government.
She talked to family members of the victims, enquired about their condition and consoled them.
Khaleda also distributed Eid gifts among them.
Family members of the victims expressed their sorrows, pain, grievances and demanded trial of killing and enforced disappearance of their near and dear ones.
Umme Habiba Mim, daughter of Chhatra Dal Dhaka city slain leader Nurul Alam Nuru, demanded trial of the killing of her father.
Rehana Banu, sister of Dhaka city JCD leader Selim Reza Pintu, who was victim of enforced disappearance, said they are waiting in every moment for the return of his brother.
BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir also spoke at the programme.
Earlier in the morning, while addressing a human chain in front of National Press Club, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged that ruling Awami League leader Hasan Mahmud at the directive of the prime minister carried out the attack on the BNP secretary general’s motorcade.
Rizvi said the attack on the party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir’s motorcade was ‘planned’.
Sayeed Hasan Mintu Parishad organised the human chain demanding release of Dhaka city south unit leader Sayeed Hasan Mintu.
The motorcade of Fakhrul was attacked at Rangunia in Chittagong on Sunday on its way to Rangamati to see the recent landslide-affected people.
Fakhrul and some senior leaders of the party were injured in the attack.
Rizvi at the human chain cautioned that BNP would hold trial of the people including of administration involved in killing and enforced disappearances of BNP leaders and activists after fall of the government.
He termed the offenses as crime against humanity.
Source: New Age
