BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Thursday held the government responsible for the death of Sajib Hossain, an activist of Lakshmipur Krishak Dal, during clashes between police and BNP leaders on Tuesday.
The law enforcers, meanwhile, sued over 5,000 people in four cases in connection with the clashes.
Rizvi claimed that about 3,000 people were injured and more than 2,000 activists of the party were shot at during the two-day march program.
However, media reports suggest that the number of injured BNP supporters was around 100 in nine districts, when police members and Awami League activists were also hurt.
“The government tried to stop our movement by killing Sajib. This government is responsible for his death. Sajib was killed on the Awami League (AL) government's orders. They did not stop shooting him (Sajib), they only left when he was dead,” the BNP leader said.
He was speaking at a mourning rally in front of party's Naya Paltan central office on Thursday.
Dhaka TribuneRizvi alleged that over 11,000 activists have been charged in a total of 310 cases across the country in connection with clashes during BNP's two-day program and 1,300 leaders and activists have so far been arrested.
Speaking at the same program, BNP Vice Chairman Barkatullah Bulu said: “So far, 19 activists have been killed during the AL government's regime. Sheikh Hasina's government is trying to stop our one-point movement by targeting BNP activists.”
Dhaka Metropolitan North BNP Convener Aman Ullah Aman said: “Sajib was killed on the orders of Sheikh Hasina. The current government will be held responsible for his murder.”
Cases filed over clashes, violence
In Laxmipur, Sub-inspector Anisur Rahman of Sadar Police Station filed two separate cases naming 55 people including district BNP Convener Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie and 3,500 unnamed activists.
Besides, Sajib's brother Md Sujan Hossain filed a separate case against unidentified accused over the murder.
On the other hand, another case was filed under the Special Powers Act against 300 unnamed people in connection with the vandalizm in Kamalnagar Upazila Awami League General Secretary Advocate Nurul Amin Raju's house and car in Lakshmipur town.
Sadar Police Station SI Mozammel Hossan filed another case accusing the same BNP leader along with 25 named and 1500 unnamed ones for obstructing police duty and injuring police.
BNP leader Annie was named as the main accused along with 1,500 unnamed people, said police.
On Tuesday, Sajib Hossain was killed and hundreds others were injured as the road-march program of the main opposition BNP seeking the government's resignation was intervened by the police and ruling party supporters in several parts of the country, including in the capital Dhaka.
Despite the clashes, the BNP continued its two-day march program on Wednesday and announced a mourning rally in memory of Sajib Hossain in Dhaka.
Alongside the BNP, Ganatantra Mancha, 12-party alliance, Jatiyatabadi Samomona Jote, the Liberal Democratic Party, Gonoforum and People's Party, Labour Party, Gono Odhikar Parishad Gonotantrik Bam Oikya, Samomona Gonotantrik Peshajibi Jote and Sadaran Chhatra Odhikar Sanrakshan Parishad also held march programs on Tuesday and Wednesday.
This was the first program of the opposition parties since they announced the one-point movement last week with the goal to remove the AL from power and hold the upcoming national election under a neutral government.
On July 12, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir formally announced the one-point movement.
