Govt out to jail BNP men before elections, alleges Fakhrul

Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir accuse the government of giving verdicts on old cases filed against party leaders aiming to keep them behind bars during upcoming elections.
"Old cases against BNP leaders are now surfacing. The government is trying to give verdicts hastily… as it wants to hold another unilateral election to remain in power further."
Mirza Fakhrul said this to the media during a
press briefing convened at the party chairperson's Gulshan office on Thursday.
He also accused Chhatra League followers of attacking the BNP's youth rally in Chattogram on Wednesday.
He said police also detained some leaders of his party from the rally. "Cases were filed against us by attacking us (BNP leaders), what an awful matter!"
Fakhrul condemned the attacks made by ruling-party men on BNP leader Khairul Kabir Khokon's house in Narsingdi Sadar recently.
He called upon the government for conducting a neutral investigation and arresting those responsible and giving them an exemplary punishment.
BNP central leaders Shamsuzzaman Dudu, Aman Ullah Aman and Moazzem Hossain Alal, among others, were present.
In another programme on the day, Fakhrul said the health condition of the party chairperson was not good.
She is now at the juncture of life and death, according to the BNP secretary.
Fakhrul said this at a discussion hosted by the Nationalist Cultural Forum at Dhaka Reporters Unity.
Local doctors have repeatedly advised her for better treatment abroad, but the government is yet to allow her to go overseas.
On recent transfer and promotion of police, Fakhrul alleged that the government was resetting the administration targeting upcoming elections as it established one-party BAKSAL rule in the past.
"Terrorism and incidents of mass looting happened during their (Awami League) time. We (opponents) know them. The body chemistry of Awami League shows that they never tolerate opponent views…"
Citing an example of AL followers, the BNP leader said people treated a person as a stalwart of Awami League if s/he used to shout while thumping on a table.
People also consider a person as an Awami follower if they behave roughly with others, according to him.
Fakhrul called upon all democratic forces to get united to topple this autocrat government through this ongoing movement.
Dudu, BNP's media cell convener Zahir Uddin Swapan and journalist leader Qader Gani Chowdhury, among others, were present at the event.

talhabinhabib@yahoo.com