A delegation from Jatiya Oikya Front, including BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, visited the December 30 gang-rape victim at Noakhali General Hospital On Saturday.
Addressing reporters after the visit, Fakhrul said the Oikya Front leaders had assured the victim that they would always stand beside her.
"Sister, you have nothing to be worried about as we are with you," the BNP leader told the victim.
He also assured her that the culprits would be brought to trial and justice would be ensured.
Subsequently, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rob) President ASM Abdur Rob, Krishak Sramik Janata League president Kader Siddiqui also consoled the rape victim.
The Oikya Front leaders provided the victim with financial assistance, spoke with her family members, and asked doctors about the condition of her health.
The 30-year-old mother of four was gang-raped, allegedly by a group of local Awami League members, after she had voted for the local BNP candidate in the 11th general election, per her husband’s claim while filing a case against nine people with Char Jabbar police station.
Until now, police have detained seven suspects, including the alleged mastermind, Awami League upazila unit Publicity Secretary Ruhul Amin, in connection with the case.
-‘Awami League has thrown the country in a state of tyranny’-
In a press conference at the hospital after the visit, Fakhrul said Awami League has thrown Bangladesh into a state of tyranny by holding a farcical election.
The BNP senior leader said the Awami League has created a state of chaos, fear and anarchy in the country with pre-election, election and post-election violence, which he claimed had been rare occurrences in the history of the country.
"One of our sisters was gang-raped," he said. "We condemn this act, and call upon the people to take a stand against this violence."
"With this act, the Awami League and the government have become enemies of the masses," Fakhrul said.
He further said: "With pre-election, election, and post-election violence, the whole country has been thrown into a state of chaos and fear."
“We will never accept this deceit against the general public, for which Awami League must apologize to the people of the nation,” he added.
Fakhrul also reiterated his statement made earlier in the day while talking to reporters during a stopover at a restaurant in Comilla on his way to Noakhali.
The Awami League has stolen the citizens' rights by coming to power with the help of "state sponsored terrorism," the BNP secretary general said.
Krishak Sramik Janata League President Abdul Kader Siddique, BNP leader Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rab) President ASM Abdur Rab, Noakhali Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon and other Jatiya Oikya Front leaders were also present at the press briefing.