BNP in the whirlpool of arson terrorism



Akram Hossain, Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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By-elections to some parliamentary seats were recently held after a long period of political shutdown due to the pandemic coronavirus. Although by-elections have been held, life has not yet returned to field politics. The main opposition party BNP is trying to get out of the drawing room and virtual politics and gradually becoming active in field politics. In that continuity, the party was able to show the presence of a large number of leaders and activists in the by-election of Dhaka-5 constituency and by-election of Dhaka-18 constituency. However, the party could not put up any resistance without the allegation of expelling the agents of the paddy sheaf on the day of the polls. They also failed to bring voters to the polls. As a result, the Awami League candidates got an absolute victory.

Meanwhile, the Dhaka-18 by-election came to the fore in the wake of the bus fire. During the by-elections in Dhaka-18 and Sirajganj-1 parliamentary constituencies, buses were set on fire at several places in the capital. The sudden fire on the bus rekindled the heat in politics. The incident has caused concern among the political parties as well as panic among the common people. Various analyzes are going on.

Arrests of opposition leaders and activists have started immediately after the arson. On the same day, a total of 10 leaders and activists including BNP and its organizing secretary Khandaker Mashukur Rahman Mashuk were arrested. Law enforcers cordoned off the BNP's central office in Naya Paltan. About 400 BNP leaders and activists have so far been accused in 14 cases of arson in the bus. 32 people have been arrested. The court has granted remand to 26 of them for different terms.

The two main political parties are blaming each other for the bus fire. The ruling Awami League has termed the BNP's conspiracy behind the arson on the bus. Political analysts think that the BNP does not have the strength to fight on the streets at the moment. This is a strategy to put pressure on the BNP. Again, some people think that it is an attempt to attract the attention of the outside world.

Bus arson is not a new phenomenon in the history of movement and struggle in Bangladesh. Earlier, it was involved with Jamaat, ruling Awami League and BNP. The incident of arson on the bus before and after the January 5 election reached its climax. At that time BNP and BNP-backed alliance were agitating for fair and neutral elections under the caretaker government. Strikes and blockades are going on day after day. One bus after another was set on fire, vandalism, petrol bombs and cocktail explosions all around. At that time the responsibility fell on the BNP.

The party has denied the allegations. They claimed that the arson was carried out from other quarters to thwart the BNP's democratic movement. BNP-Jamaat activists as well as Awami League leaders and activists were caught by law enforcers trying to set fire to a bus during the BNP movement at different times. Apart from BNP-Shibir activists, Awami League activists were also caught with petrol bombs. The BNP demanded an impartial investigation into the incident. That demand never saw the light of day.

Later these incidents were covered up. For several years, petrol bombs, cocktail explosions and bus fires have not been seen in the politics of the country. On November 12, 10 buses caught fire in different areas of the capital. As a result, the old calculations come to the fore anew. This time too the finger of blame is on the BNP. The party is once again drowning in the whirlpool of fire and terror.

Recently, the founder and trustee of the Gono Shasthya Kendra in the context of the bus fire in the capital Zafrullah Chowdhury told Barta24.com that it is called attention diversion technique. As I said before, there have been attempts to attract American attention through arson. Trying to convince them that there are terrorists in the country, we (Awami League) have no choice. The government has halved the fire that broke out in the bus during the 2014 elections, just as the BNP did.

BNP joint secretary general Moazzem Hossain Alal thinks that imposing political responsibility is a long-standing habit of the Awami League. He told Barta24.com that the Awami League has started imposing its responsibilities since independence. It is going on till now. As the main opponent of Awami League is BNP, this responsibility is being imposed on BNP.

He said the Home Minister had said he would take action after watching the video footage of the recent bus fire. Again the general secretary of Awami League said it is the work of BNP. Here it became two parts within the government. When there was a movement before the 2014 elections, we saw cars burning. There is an interesting chapter left out of the discussion. We remember that the cars used to come on patrol by the Police-BGB RAB. They used to patrol and bring 30-35 vehicles from different parts of the country to Dhaka. There is a fire and then how did the BNP give that fire?

Dr. Zafrullah said, it is very easy to impose responsibility. If the responsibility was imposed before the investigation, it became a media trial. That was not the real trial. Let them see the video footage. That is what we also want.

"The responsibility of fire and terrorism is always on the BNP," he said, adding that the BNP has no responsibility to get out of here. Whether the Awami League believes in whether the BNP is able to get out of the responsibility of arson and whether the media believes in it, we have no problem. The only way to test this is to have a neutral government, elections under a neutral election commission. If there is an opportunity to express an opinion, then it will be proved whether the people reject the BNP as a fire terrorist or the BNP is being unnecessarily blamed. Besides, there is no other place for proof.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the BNP does not believe in any terrorism. The BNP believes in democracy. The BNP wants to say in clear language that the BNP has never been involved in such heinous incidents. The BNP is not involved in the politics of conspiracy and terrorism, but in the power of the people. The government planned to destroy the BNP and put the blame on the party.

   

BNP leaders made queue with government: Foreign Minister



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com
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Foreign Minister Dr. Hasan Mahmud said that few leaders of BNP are often seen holding press conferences who toe the line with the government. The ravens of politics go where they can find power. If you talk too much, I will expose everything to them.

He said these things at a discussion meeting at the National Press Club on the occasion of Bangabandhu's 104th birthday on Friday (March 22).

The minister said that many leaders of BNP have records of misdeeds; If you talk more, they will be exposed.

This leader of Awami League said, 'The political forces that are against freedom are conspiring to take the next generation behind them. Individuals were joined with political evil. They take the prize by presenting it to the outside world as a poor country. Dr. Yunus is not seen on the side of people in floods and disasters. His interest is only in lobbying and getting awards.

He said that his case is going on in the court. Meanwhile, I saw that he received an award at the Baku conference. His lobbyist firm contacts all kinds of awards in the world.

The minister said that they are conspiring by failing to resist the election. The dream that Tarek Rahman would fly by ‘Borak’ and stand by BNP did not materialize. BNP has lost the dream of turning the country into a failed state. People of the country should learn if they try to do politics of burning people.

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BNP will hold a freedom fighter rally in the capital on March 25



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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BNP will hold a rally of freedom fighters in the capital on March 25 (Monday) on the occasion of Independence Day.

BNP Publicity Secretary Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie announced the three-day program at a press conference at the political office of the party's chairperson in Gulshan in the capital on Thursday (March 21).

On the first day of the program, a freedom fighter rally will be held in front of the central office of BNP in Nayapaltan on March 25. The rally will start at 10 am and end at 12 noon.

The party and national flags will be hoisted at the party's central office in Nayapaltan at 6 am on Independence Day, March 26. At seven in the morning, the leaders and activists will leave for the national memorial in Savar from the party chairperson's office in Gulshan. After paying tributes at the memorial, tributes will be paid at the tomb of party founder Ziaur Rahman in Sher Bangla Nagar of the capital.

The next day, on March 27, the party organized a discussion on Independence Day at the Institute of Engineers in the capital.

BNP Vice Chairman Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, Joint Secretary General Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal, Organizing Secretary Syed Emran Saleh Prince and many others were present at this time.

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“Awami League's only goal is to stay in power, not to serve people"



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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BNP Standing Committee Member Dr. Abdul Moin Khan commented that the present government has destroyed the electoral system of the country and added that their only goal is to stay in power not to serve the people.

He said these things while meeting at the house of Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajal and Barrister Osman Chowdhury in Dhanmondi of the capital on Wednesday (March 20) morning.

Moin Khan said when a one-party government is established in the country, the situation will be the same as now. The government has axed the administration and judiciary to retain power. In each case the election has destroyed the system. The government is disconnected from the people.

Alleging that the government is consuming not only politics, but everything in the society, he said, they are afraid of losing power. Awami League's only goal is not to serve the people, but to stay in power.

In response to a question about BNP’s Vice Chairman Major (Retd) Hafiz Uddin, Moin Khan said that the more such incidents are published, the more the government is getting degraded. It is clear how the government wanted to bring the opposition parties under control before the elections. All their strategies failed.

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Bangladesh has now become a satellite state of India: Rizvi



Staff Correspondent, Barta24.com, Dhaka
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BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said that following the recent statements of Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader and Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud, almost all the ministers are getting drunk on Bharat Bandana. From their speech and behavior it seems that Bangladesh has now become a satellite state of India.

He said this at a press conference organized at the central office of BNP in Nayapaltan of the capital on Wednesday (March 20).

Rizvi said, they are giving loud speeches by giving direct cooperation and acknowledgment of neighboring India in their efforts to take away people's voting rights, kill democracy and get immortality of illegal power without voting.

He said, the frank confession of Obaidul Quader and Hasan Mahmud proves that India is directly interfering with our freedom, sovereignty, democracy, human rights, voting rights in direct violation of Article 2 (4) of the UN Charter. Article 2 (4) states, "In international relations all Member States shall refrain from the use of force, intimidation against the territorial integrity or political independence of any other State, and from adopting any means inconsistent with the purposes of the United Nations". It is clear from the words of Awami League leaders that India is interfering in the politics of Bangladesh by violating this policy.

The Senior Joint Secretary General of BNP said that the wave of boycott of Indian products is visible on social media; it seems that the large population of the country has taken a strong stand in favor of boycott of Indian products. It is evident that 63 pro-democracy parties including BNP as a people's party and patriotic people are expressing solidarity in this movement of boycott of Indian products.

He said, India is openly aiding and abetting the mass oppressor-murderer-mafia government. Awami League has now become an Indian product which is contrary to the interests and dignity of an independent sovereign state.

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