BNP stages protests amid arrests, attacks

The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Wednesday observed the eighth anniversary of the 10th parliamentary election day — January 5, 2014 — as democracy killing day across the country amid police obstruction and confinement of BNP leaders and activists.

The party also said that the Awami League government would be charged with murder if any accident happens to its chairperson Khaleda Zia.

In Chattogram, police arrested 44 BNP leaders and activists after they had clashed with police in the city.

New Age staff correspondent in Chattogram reported that the BNP claimed that at least 10 of its activists were injured in the clashes that took place at Jamalkhan and Chittagong Press Club areas.

Chattogram Kotwali Police Station officer-in-charge Nejam Uddin said that the BNP activists were removed from their positions after they started hurling stones at police from protest rallies.

He said that several police officers and pedestrians were injured during the clash.

BNP’s Chattogram city unit leader Idris Ali told reporters that the police attacked BNP activists deliberately when they gathered for the protest rally.

He said that at least 10 leaders and activists were injured in the police attack.

In Khulna, at least 20 leaders and activists of BNP and its affiliated organizations were injured in a clash with police as they foiled the party hosted human chain programme.

Among the injured, former organising secretary of city unit BNP Fakhrul Alam was admitted to Khulna Medical College Hospital as he was badly injured.

Protesting at the incident at a press conference, Khulna city BNP condemned the police attack.

Led by the city unit’s member secretary Shafiqul Islam Tuhin, BNP brought out a procession protesting at the incident immediately.

Tuhin said that the police carried out the attack on BNP activists without any provocation.

Khulna Sadar Police Station officer-in-charge Hasan Al Mamun said that police obstructed the programme as BNP did not take permission for any gathering.

In Barguna, police asked BNP organisers not to form any human chain in the town and threatened them with arrests.

District unit BNP general secretary Abdul Halim said that police obstructed BNP’s human chain programme.

Barguna Sadar Police Station officer-in-charge (investigation) Shahidul Islam said that the police asked the BNP organisers not to hold the programme to keep the situation peaceful.

In Dhaka, addressing a human chain in front of the National Press Club, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir warned that everyone in the present Awami League government would be charged with murder if any accident happens to its chairperson Khaleda Zia for the lack of advanced treatment and for not allowing her to go abroad to seek better treatment.

‘The government has tactfully hatched a plan to put our leader Khaleda Zia to death. They want to kill her,’ Fakhrul said.

He also said when people, irrespective of their parties and opinions, want Khaleda to be sent abroad, the current government and prime minister Sheikh Hasina are not allowing her to go there for treatment out of serious political vengeance.

‘If any accident happens to Khaleda Zia for lack of advanced treatment, then each of them will be tried making them accused of murdering her,’ the BNP leader said.

Fakhrul said the Awami League government sent Khaleda to jail by convicting her in a baseless case as part of AL’s ‘blueprint for depoliticisation and eliminating the BNP chairperson.’

He said that Khaleda is now fighting for life in a hospital in the capital and her condition is very critical.

Fakhrul urged the government to take proper steps to send Khaleda abroad for treatment immediately recognising her contribution to the country, its development, and democracy shunning political vengeance.

Khaleda, a 76-year-old former prime minister, has been receiving treatment at Evercare Hospital for various health complications since November 13.

Fakhrul also said that former chief justice ABM Khairul Haque would be tried for destroying democracy in Bangladesh if a pro-people and democratic government returned to power.

‘On this day [January 5, 2014], the illegitimate government of Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina, killed democracy. A deceptive and farcical election was held on that day to completely depoliticise Bangladesh and to remove it from the list of fully democratic countries,’ he said.

‘Then chief justice Khairul Haque played the main role in this regard. If a democratic and genuine people’s government comes to power in the future, justice Khairul Haque will be tried for killing democracy and snatching people’s voting rights,’ he added.