A local Jubo Dal leader in Kushtia has sparked controversy by instructing his followers to "beat and kill" Awami League leaders and activists if seen on the streets.
The leader, Rafiqul Islam, is the former joint convener of the Mirpur Municipality Jubo Dal in Kushtia.
His uncle, Rahmat Ali Rabbani, serves as the general secretary of the Mirpur Upazila BNP.
Rafiqul Islam posted a video of his speech on his Facebook account, which was still visible as of Tuesday.
The comments were made last Wednesday during the inauguration of a local BNP office at Nimtala Bazar in the Amla Union. Party members were present during his speech, and many applauded his remarks.
In the one minute and two-second video, Rafiqul Islam is heard saying: “If you ever see any Awami League members, beat them to death. Those [derogatory language] wouldn’t let us walk on the streets, go to the market, or even shop freely. They’ve played such filthy politics.”
He also said: “BNP and its affiliated groups weren’t allowed to gather in threes, and we faced various forms of harassment. False and sabotage cases were filed against us, and we’ve suffered a lot. That’s why I request all of you not to form internal groups within the party but to stand shoulder to shoulder in politics.”
When contacted about his comments, Rafiqul Islam said: “For the past 15-16 years, we’ve faced unbearable oppression. I’ve had 15-16 cases filed against me. I wasn’t allowed to sleep at home or sit in my place of business. The oppression is endless. It was from this place of suffering that I made the emotional statement to ‘beat them to death.’ It’s something I had to say to keep the members motivated.”
Mirpur Upazila BNP President Abdul Haque, however, distanced the party from such remarks, saying: “BNP does not support this type of speech, nor do we have any such directives. I am also unaware of the inauguration of the BNP office at Nimtala Bazar.