‘Rallying for peace after creating communal crisis shameful’

BNP has alleged that after creating communal crisis in the country, the ruling party yesterday brought out a rally for harmony.

Pointing finger at the government, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, "You created anarchy. You opened fire and killed innocent people. And then you brought out a rally for peace today."

Saying that there is nothing more shameful, Fakhrul said it is the character of Awami League. "We know them (AL). They have been doing this for a long time."

Addressing a discussion at Jatiya Press Club yesterday, the BNP leader said, "The government is destroying everything. They have destroyed history and the society. They are creating communal crisis in the country today."

The BNP leader said the government in a very planned manner created division in the country with a motive to achieve their political agenda.

All must unite to oust the government, he added.

Meanwhile at another programme, BNP senior leader Mirza Abbas said there must be a strong resistance against communal violence and the plot to tarnish the country's image.

"If we cannot resist it [communal violence], our independence and sovereignty will be at stake... We have to prevent that," he said.

Abbas, a BNP standing committee member, made the remarks while speaking at a doa mahfil arranged by Dhaka-south city unit of Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal at BNP's Nayapaltan central office, which prayed for the speedy recovery of party chairperson Khaleda Zia.

The BNP leader said Bangladesh is a country of religious harmony, and people of different religions have been living here peacefully for a long time, showing respect for each other's religion.

He accused the government of inciting communal violence to arrest BNP leaders and activists, and thus, divert people's attention from price hike of daily essentials and utility services.

"Around 300 of our leaders and activists have already been arrested. We would like to make it clear that it won't be possible to suppress BNP with all these attacks and cases," Abbas said.

He questioned the reason behind Awami League's "Harmony Rally and Peace Procession", saying it is the responsibility of the ruling party to protect communal harmony.

Abbas said AL should step down after handing over power to a neutral government, which will pave the way for a credible national election.

"We'll accept whoever will come to power through the election under a non-partisan neutral government," he added.