Ruling party lawmakers demanded yesterday the government arrest Mahmudur Rahman Manna and Sadeque Hossain Khoka for planning to kill students at Dhaka University in the name of movement.
“The government should take measures against those who instigate killings‚” said Awami League Presidium Member Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim while discussing the president’s speech at the parliament, mentioning a telephone conversation between Manna and Khoka.
An audio clip of the conversation was leaked on Sunday. Manna is a former leader of the Awami League, and Khoka is a senior BNP leader who is currently residing in the US.
Selim said: “The military would not dare usurp state power.”
He claimed intelligence agencies reported that killers and militants have been staying at Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office.
“That is why Khaleda Zia did not go to Shaheed Minar. She cannot take a single step without consulting Jamaat‚” he said.
Selim said: “Khaleda Zia has declared war against the country and its people.
“But militancy and democracy cannot coexist. The government should ban BNP-Jamaat after declaring them as terrorist organisations, and punish those who issued the directives to kill people.”
Selim criticised civil society members who urged the government to hold talks with BNP.
He questioned whether the civil society members fought for the country during the War of Independence.
“How many of them participated in the war? … many of them opposed independence‚” he said.
Awami League lawmaker Fazilatun Nessa Bappi demanded the government arrest Manna and Khoka.
Jatiya Party (Manju) lawmaker Salma Islam said: “They have turned the whole country into a burn unit. Who orders the killings?”
Diplomats’ activities questioned
Questioning the role of diplomats in the political context, Selim said: “Foreign intervention in Bangladesh is in no way acceptable. We do not fear the glare of foreigners.”
“Who is Khaleda Zia? What kind of conversation can take place with an unelected politician? If you have anything to say‚ say it to the government and the opposition leader of parliament.
“This is an elected government of Sheikh Hasina. If you want to do anything by going around this‚ we will take steps to violate the diplomatic norms‚” he said.