AL, BNP accuse each other of provocation

The ruling Awami League and opposition BNP yesterday accused each other of instigating the Ramu violence.
The opposition resorted to the communal violence in Ramu to stall the trial of war criminals, said Post and Telecommunications Minister Shahara Khatun.
"The Facebook photo, which caused all these incidents, was blocked following my instruction on the BTRC chairman. But a vested quarter took advantage of the photo and created the anarchy. This barbaric act was pre-planned," she said.
Previously the home minister, Shahara, made the allegations at a memorial meeting on freedom fighter Sudhangshu Shekhar Howladar. Bangabandhu Academy and Jatiya Char Neta Smriti Rakkha Parishad jointly hosted it at the capital's Liberation War Museum.
On the other hand, an eight-member team of opposition BNP which investigated the attack on Buddhists in Cox's Bazar and Chittagong has found government's indirect provocation in the mayhem, said BNP standing committee member and probe body chief Moudud Ahmed.
"Despite being repeatedly informed, the superintendent of police (SP) didn't take any action for 2-3 hours, allowing the violence to escalate. The administration's inaction shows the government's silence and its indirect instigation in the attacks," he said, reports UNB.
Presenting the 67-page investigation report at a press conference at the party's Nayapaltan central office, he demanded a judicial commission led by a retired chief justice to uncover the mystery of the attacks.
A mob destroyed 12 pagodas and more than 50 houses in Ramu on September 29. The violence was apparently triggered by a Facebook posting of a photo derogatory to the holy Quran.
Meanwhile, BNP standing committee member MK Anwar said at a discussion that the ruling Awami League was "destroying" all people whose views differed from it.
"The rise of terrorists was marked in Awami League's 1996-2001 tenure. A good number of bomb attacks, including those on Udichi programme in Jessore and on a cultural programme at Ramna Batamul, were carried out during that period. But no incident was investigated."
The discussion was organised by Bangladesh Nationalist Cultural Foundation at Dhaka Reporters Unity.
Another BNP leader, Rafiqul Islam Miah, yesterday said it was not possible to hide the mystery of the attack by shifting blame on the opposition, reports UNB.