Police out to cover up its failure, BCL's role in New Market violence

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has alleged police are trying to cover up its failure and indifference to contain violence in the city's New Market area and the involvement of Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL) in it, reports UNB.
"BNP thinks that this illegitimate government is resorting to its old game. While people are blaming police inaction and indifference for not being able to stop the clashes for two days in a row, the police are trying to cover up their own failures and Awami cadres' involvement by arresting innocent BNP leader Makbul and filing cases against others purely with a political motive," he said.

The BNP leaders came up with the remarks while speaking at a press conference at the party chairperson's Gulshan office in the city on Saturday.
Fakhrul also said his party is deeply concerned and upset at the series of clashes between traders and Dhaka College students in the New Market area that killed two people and injured many others, including journalists.
"This incident has exposed how fragile the law and order situation in the country is! A suspicion has been created in public minds over the inaction of police as horrific attacks and counter-attacks happened and terrorists wearing helmets and equipped with arms and weapons beat people to death in their (police's) presence," he said.
Fakhrul alleged cases were filed against 1,200 people mentioning the names of 24 leaders of BNP and its associate bodies instead of arresting the real offenders who were engaged in the clashes wearing helmets. "BNP strongly protests and expresses anger at it."
He said it has been proved through different media reports that the 'cadres' of Chhatra League were involved in the violence. "At least three people--who are active activists of Dhaka College Chhatra League--have been identified from the video footages. It is also clear from the media reports that the terrible terrorists of various groups of Chhatra League were responsible for this incident mainly due to collection of extortion and establishing their supremacy."
The BNP leader also said the ruling party student body leaders have long been indulging in massive extortion and terrorist activities in the adjoining areas of New Market.
"Chhatra League and Juba League are establishing a reign of terror with the help of police. This entire area is under the control of Chhatra League," he added.
Stating that there are many groups of Dhaka College Chhatra League in the area in absence of any specific committee of the ruling party student body, he said the incident of clashes often occurs there due to conflicts among those groups.
Fakhrul said his party thinks that the government is deliberately implicating BNP in New Market violence to divert people's attention to a different direction from its failure to deliver on all fronts, control soaring prices of daily essentials and rampant corruption.
"The government is conspiring to arrest BNP leaders and activists in the same way as before. Lawsuits, arrests, enforced disappearances, murders and assassinations are the main weapons of this government and it is trying to keep BNP away from politics by using these weapons," he alleged.
Meanwhile, a Dhaka court has placed BNP leader Mokbul Hossain on a three-day remand over the violent clashes between Dhaka College students and shopkeepers in the capital's New Market area, reports bdnews24.com.
The court passed the order on Saturday in response to the police's plea for a 7-day remand.
Mokbul, a former president of the BNP's New Market unit, was arrested on Friday on charges of inciting violence in a case filed with New Market thana.
FE Report adds: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) will form a three-member committee to investigate into the recent violent incident that happened between students and traders in New Market area in the capital.
The party also demanded immediate release of its detained leader Mokbul Hossain who was arrested in connection with the mayhem.
The BNP in a statement issued on Saturday also called upon the government to arrest the real culprits who were involved with the violent incident last week in New Market area.
The party also demanded of the government to withdraw false cases and release the party leaders and activists who are now in jail.
It will also organise rallies in the capital and divisional towns on April 26 protesting against the ongoing government repression and torture on opponents to muzzle their views and expressions .
Earlier, the standing committee of BNP on Friday last had decided to form a three-member committee to investigate into the violent incident in New Market area.