Govt out to eliminate its political opponents: BNP

The BNP has alleged that the government has become desperate to eliminate it and other parties by indiscriminately arresting the opposition leaders and activists across the country.

Senior joint secretary general of the party Ruhul Kabir Rizvi made the allegation at a discussion at Nasrul Hamid Auditorium at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) in the capital on Thursday.

Students Forum of the country's northern region and Bangladesh Students Forum arranged the discussion marking the 18th imprisonment day of BNP acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman (March 7).

Commenting that they (opposition parties) must win in their ongoing movement against the government, Rizvi said, "The Prime Minister is working to eliminate her party's political opponents. And for this reason the country's democracy is repeatedly being destroyed. So, we must win in our ongoing movement against the government."

"Some countries directly extended their support in holding the national election on January 7, 2024. But other democratic countries of the world have rejected this election," Rizvi claimed.

He said, "The government had earlier said that Tarique Zia owned mills and factories in Malaysia and many other countries but they couldn't show any proof in support of their claim."

"They (government) will remain in power through holding a dummy election. People of the country could see all these through social media," Rizvi said.

He added, "BNP founder Ziaur Rahman had turned Bangladesh into a self-dependent country." He said that many things are now being imported due to the present economic crisis for which the Awami League government is responsible.

He further said that to overcome the present economic crisis the opposition parties must win in their ongoing anti-government movement.

He said, "It is necessary to release detained BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and also to allow return of the party's acting chairperson Tarique Rahman to the country."

Member of BNP's Executive Committee Barrister Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin presided over the event which was also attended by standing committee member Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, assistant information affairs secretary of the party Qader Gani Chowdhury, president of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal Raqibul Islam Rakib, its general secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir and organising secretary of Swechchhasebak Dal Nazmul Hasan, among others.

[email protected]