16 BNP activists killed, 20,326 arrested in one month : Ainjibi Forum

A total of 20,326 leaders and activists of BNP and its affiliated organizations have been arrested by the law enforcers in more than 837 cases filed against them, since October 28 this year.
Apart from this, a total of 73,123 BNP men have been made accused in those cases.
This was disclosed on Wednesday by leaders of the Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum (BJAF), a platform of the pro-BNP lawyers.
They also reported that up until now, at least 16 leaders and activists of the BNP have been killed, with more than 8,249 others wounded.
Forum leaders placed the information in a press conference organized at the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) building on Wednesday.
Barrister Kayser Kamal, Central Secretary General of BJAF, read a written statement at the conference.
BJAF President and former Attorney General AJ Mohammad Ali, former SCBA Secretaries AM Mahbub Uddin Khokan, Ruhul Quddus Kazal and Bodruddoza Badal, BJAF Supreme Court unit President Abdul Jabbar Bhuiyan and SC unit Secretary Gazi Kamrul Islam Sajal, among others, were present at the press conference.
Mr Kayser Kamal said in last three months at least 636 leaders and activists were given punishment to different terms by the courts in 35 cases filed over false charges.
More than 5.0 million leaders and activists of different tiers of BNP have been made accused in more than 50,000 cases since 2009 to 2023.
He further said, "This fascist government is harassing and arresting lawyers to block the way of legal assistance to common people and political activists from the illegal arrest and harassment, which is also contrary to the rule of law, human rights and Constitution. They are arresting the opposition political party leaders' relatives, and sick, crippled and even minor family members.
The houses and business entities of BNP activists are being attacked, looted and vandalized across the country. Even at late night, the houses of BNP activists are being extorted forcefully."
He said, "The lawyers' society is demanding the release of all the arrested lawyers and the withdrawal of all the political harassment cases filed against the lawyers' society by stopping the government's heinous and unprecedented oppression on the people of opposition parties and the common people of Bangladesh who are participating in the ongoing movement to restore democracy."
Along with that, the release of all political prisoners including BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Mirza Abbas and Amir Khusru Mahmud Chowdhury arrested in the ongoing democratic movement and the immediate withdrawal of all false cases were strongly demanded in the press conference.

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