The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Thursday alleged that the government is suppressing outright the difference of opinion in the country.
It talks about democracy, but does not believe in practice. It rather believes in autocracy.
Shamsuzzaman Dudu, adviser to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, said this at a post-hartal press briefing at the party’s Naya Paltan headquarters in the city.
The adviser said the government allegedly barred the BNP from apprising people of the country’s overall situation through printing leaflets.
“Leaflets suggesting the country’s overall situation were sent to press for print, but police seized them and arrested the press employees,” Dudu said.
Pointing at the Shahbag demonstrators, he said: “The government removed Ganajagoron Mancha on the May 5 night, but it was effected again through singing and dancing amid police protection.”
In one hand, the government is killing innocent people at night and on the other hand it allows a section of people to sing and dance, said the adviser.
Criticising the government swoop on the houses of BNP Vice-Chairman Sadeque Hossain Khoka and Bangladesh Jatiya Party Chairman Andalib Rahman Partho, the BNP leader said the government has taken the mission of eliminating the opposition forces from the country.
He came down hard on the AL-led goverement for arresting Jubo Dal Chief Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal and placing him on remand.
The government is just trying to establish BAKSAL and impose an unannounced emergency in the country, he continued. The BNP leader asked the government to restore caretaker government (CG) system and arrange the next elections resigning from the office.
“Restore the CG system in no time, or you have to shoulder the responsibility for an untoward situation in future,” he said.
Dudu, on behalf of the party chairperson, praised those who passed the SSC exam.
He also expressed his sorrow for the examinees facing problems to collect their results due to the countrywide strike.
In response to prime minister’s comment that Khaleda Zia was the mastermind of Hefazat violence, Dudu said, “We urged the premier to issue a press note issuing details of the operation. But without doing so, she just talked about some irrelevant issues.
He claimed that a thorough investigation would reveal who the mastermind is.
Asked about Hefazat leader Junaid Babunagri’s statement that BNP-Jamaat took the control of the rally, Dudu said,
“Babunagri did not say anything like that before the media.
Police say so, and sometimes, the court does not accept police statement, he said.
Dudu maintained that three people were killed, more than 97 were arrested and over 109 were injured during the countrywide dawn to dusk hartal protesting the killing of Hefazat men on May 6.
