The BNP on Sunday presented a list of its 15 leaders and activists who the party said died in prison before and after October 28.
BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi provided journalists with the list at a press briefing at the party’s Naya Paltan central office.
Rizvi claimed 15 BNP leaders and workers died in prison either without receiving adequate medical care or medication or as a result of torture and persecution during police remand.
He, however, said the jail authorities gave similar typed interpretations after all the deaths that they died on the way to hospitals. “The fact is that they died in prisons, not in hospitals.”
Those who died in custody per the party list are Khulna Jubo Dal leader Kamal Hossain Mizan, Satkhira BNP leaders Abdus Sattar and Mohsin-ul Mulk, Rangpur BNP leader Manowarul Islam, Dhaka South BNP leaders Idris Al, Abul Bashar, and Imtiaz Ahmed, Gazipur BNP leaders Asaduzzaman Khan Hira and Mohammad Shafiuddin Master, Pabna BNP leader Abul Kalam Azad, Chittagong BNP leader Golamur Rahman Golap, Natore Jubo Dal leader Abul Kalam Azad, Rajshahi Jubo Dal leader Monirul Islam, Naogaon BNP leader Motibul Mandal, and Dhaka Sramik Dal leader Fazlur Rahman Kajal.
Rizvi criticized Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her comments that those who want to raise questions about the fairness of the 12th general election must clearly show evidence in favour of their assertions.
“Those who commit crimes think of themselves as innocent. You (PM) yourself are the biggest proof of election fraud. Because the secretary of the Election Commission appointed by you said the list of those who would win was given to deputy commissioners.”
He said even the defeated candidates belonging to the ruling party presented information about vote fraud before the nation by holding press conferences.
The BNP leader said local and international media also depicted various election irregularities and empty polling stations amid a boycott by the country’s people.
He said the people and the international community also know how the government launched an extreme crackdown on BNP leaders and workers and sent hundreds of opposition leaders and followers to jail for holding a lopsided dummy election.
The BNP leader said even Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud admitted that India kept Awami League in power by extending its support to the party, before addressing Sheikh Hasina: “Prime Minister, you cannot win people's hearts with lies.”
