310 opposition men killed, disappeared in 14 months: BNP
The BNP today alleged that 310 of its leaders and activists were killed and turned victims of enforced disappearance "in the hands of police, Rab and Awami League goons" over 14 months since January last year.
The party however failed to offer an accurate tally of victims' numbers in support of the figure.
"Total 272, out of 310, were killed. Twenty five others fell victims to enforced disappearance," BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said at a meeting at Jatiya Press Club in the capital.
BNP Dhaka city unit organised the meeting protesting "false cases" against Khaleda Zia, her son and senior BNP Vice Chairman Tarique Rahman and other BNP leaders.
Regarding the 310 victims, Fakhrul claimed that they had collected the addresses and photographs of the victims through party sources and those are now available with the party.
When The Daily Star correspondent sought the victims' list, the BNP spokesperson denied, saying: "Earlier, you have undermined BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia regarding statistics of BNP men who fell victims of killings and forced disappearance."
A while later, he said it would be made public "when the time is ripe".
On February 4, Khaleda alleged that "law enforcers and Awami League men" had killed 242 activists of BNP-led political alliance in 34 districts between December 26 and January this year. She, however, gave the names of only five victims (two cases of killing and three of forced disappearance).
Four days later, The Daily Star ran a report showing that the death figures in nine districts presented by the BNP chief was incorrect, exaggerated and false.
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