NY airport attack makes AL's future more uncertain: Khosru

Harassment of BNP and National Citizen Party (NCP) leaders by banned Awami League (AL) activists has further deepened doubt about party's political future, report agencies.

The harassment took place while they were accompaning Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus to the UN General Assembly session in New York (NY) on Monday.

Speaking to reporters at an event in Chattogram's Agrabad on Wednesday, the BNP Standing Committee member said the incident demonstrated "destructive behaviour" by Awami League supporters and would only deepen their crisis.

"You [Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League] have been defeated and fled the country. Your supporters have nothing to do apart from these activities. They don't even believe in democracy. They destroyed the country, fled, and are now doing things that are more destructive. This is making their future more uncertain."

When asked if Bangladesh's embassy in the US had failed to provide security to the chief adviser's entourage, Khosru said:

"No, that's not the embassy's responsibility. The responsibility for ensuring security lies with the host country. I don't know if the embassy had any information [about the protest], but they should have known."

"Anyway, it doesn't matter much. In a democratic country, many things can happen. It's not a big issue for me. These things happen in all democracies."

Meanwhile, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has said his party will not make any compromise with the ousted Awami League (AL) and urged everyone to remain vigilant to prevent return of fascist forces under a new guise.

"There is no entente with the Awami League. Those who were linked to the Awami League or acted as their associates must not be allowed to change their colours. Everyone must remain vigilant," he said.

The BNP leader made the remarks while talking to journalists after paying homage to party founder Ziaur Rahman's grave by placing a wreath, together with leaders of the newly-formed convening committees of its Pirojpur and Barguna district units, in the capital's Chandriman Udyan on Wednesday .

Rizvi alleged that the AL and its cohorts are taking advantage of impunity both inside and outside the country due to the interim government's inaction.

He said the ghosts of the AL and their associates are finding the opportunity to take to the streets in the country and indulge in various misdeeds abroad, as the government is failing to take prompt action against them.

"The conspiracy, blueprint and master plan are not over yet… We can't let the blood of our martyrs go in vain," the BNP leader said.

Turning to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Rizvi said it has failed to recover money looted by the AL and its associates.

"The ACC is so ineffective that it has neither succeeded in punishing the looters, nor in recovering the money… The court ordered the recovery of Tk 248.24 billion, but the ACC remains incapable of taking any effective steps in this regard," he said.

The BNP leader accused Awami League leaders, including ministers, MPs, and even relatives of the Prime Minister, of amassing vast wealth abroad. "From New York, London, Dubai and Canada to Ottawa and Sydney - they have built houses and accumulated enormous fortunes."

He said if the corruption and misdeeds of the AL had been properly addressed and the interim government had acted firmly, "the cohorts of fascism" would not have dared to stage the attack on NCP member secretary Akhter Hossen at JFK Airport in New York.

Rizvi dismissed reports that BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir was harassed in New York, calling them 'completely baseless and propaganda.'