Fakhrul demands impartial probe into Bangabazar Market fire

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has voiced suspicion that influential ruling party leaders might have carried out the fire incident at Bangabazar market to grab the land, reports UNB.

"Some very influential people of the ruling Awami League have long been trying to occupy Bangabazar market. If a real impartial investigation is conducted, then there is a possibility to find out that this incident was completely carried out by the Awami League," he said.

The BNP leader came up with the remarks while speaking at a press briefing after a meeting with the 12-party liaison committee at the party chairperson's Gulshan office.

Fakhrul said his party wants a neutral probe into the incident to unveil the truth.

Justifying his remark involving the ruling party leaders with the market fire, Fakhrul said the government has started talking about constructing multi-storied buildings at Bangabazar just a day after the incident.

A massive fire broke out at the Bangabazar Shopping Complex in Dhaka on Tuesday morning and it spread to some other nearby markets, burning several thousand shops, mainly readymade garment and footwear stores, to ashes.

On Thursday, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said investigations were being carried out to unearth whether the BNP was involved in the devastating fire incident at Bangabazar or not.

He also alleged that BNP was trying to politicise the fire incident instead of standing by the fire-affected people.

Fakhrul alleged that the government has been planning to retain power through a stage-managed election as it did earlier in 2014 and 2018.

"We think that the government wants to hold a unilateral election as before. That is why they have rejected the UN's proposal (for cooperation in the next national election)," he said.

Earlier on Monday Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen said Bangladesh is mature enough and there is no need to take help from the United Nations in the national parliamentary election of Bangladesh.

Fakhrul said if the BNP and its alliance partners do not participate in the election under the Awami League government, then there will be no legitimacy of the polls "This is the reality. That's why the Chief Election Commissioner said yesterday (Thursday) that if the major parties don't participate, then the legitimacy of the election will remain in question."

Mostafa Jamal Haidar, the coordinator of the 12-party alliance, said they discussed with the BNP leaders the next course of action of the simultaneous movement to realise their 10-point demand including the resignation of the government and holding the next polls under a non-party neutral administration.

He said they will intensify the movement in the days to come and make it a success with the united efforts of all.

BNP standing committee members Nazrul Islam Khan and Selima Rahman were also present at the meeting.