BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has protested the arrest of Dhaka south unit member and New Market unit’s former president Advocate Moqbul Hossain.
In a statement issued on Friday, the party also censured the police for naming two dozen BNP leaders and activists as accused.
Mirza Fakhrul alleged that the government was harassing the party activists in politically-motivated cases.
Earlier in the day, police chief Benazir Ahmed said that the political activists were named in the cases based on specific information.
New Market police Officer-in-Charge SM Qaiyum said: “The persons named in the cases are accused of instigating the violence. Their political affiliation is not a matter of consideration here.”
Moqbul’s name was first mentioned by the Dhaka College students during a press conference on Wednesday as an instigator.
A member of the BNP’s Dhaka south unit, Moqbul is the former president of BNP’s New Market thana unit. He owns the two fast food shops – Welcome and Capital, from where the clash ensued on Monday night.
Moqbul earlier claimed that he was implicated in the case because of his affiliation with the BNP.
“Everyone named in the case is a leader of the BNP or its affiliate bodies. Many of them are staying abroad for several years,” he said, adding that it was nothing but a ploy to harass them politically.
In the statement, Fakhrul said: “The Awami League government is working day and night to ensure a political system with no opposition.”
He added that naming the local BNP leaders and activists in the clash between shopkeepers and Dhaka College student was “another naked face of the fascist regime.”
The statement came hours after Moqbul was picked up by police for interrogation. He was later shown arrested in a case filed by the police for sabotage and obstructing law enforcers from performing duties.
Fakhrul claimed that Moqbul Hossain, former general secretary of New Market thana unit Haji Jahangir Hossain Patwary, former vice president Shah Alam Nantu, former organizing secretary Harun Howlader, Chhatra Dal activists Mintu and Asif, Sramik Dal activist Toha and Shewcchashebak Dal activist Manir were falsely implicated in the cases.
Earlier, Mirza Fakhrul blamed Chhatra League “cadres” for the bloody violence that claimed two lives.
Also Read - BNP: New Market clashes exposed a failed government
“An unbearable situation has now arisen in the country due to the failure of the government. The recent clashes between the traders and students in the New Market area took place entirely for the failure of the government and the inaction of the police,” he said while speaking at an iftar party.
Fakhrul also alleged that police incited the violence instead of tackling the situation and that the cadres of Chhatra League were completely involved in this violence.
He demanded a fair and impartial investigation, and withdrawal of the “false” cases against BNP leaders and activists.
At least 50 people including journalists and bystanders were injured in the fatal clashes that turned the Mirpur Road from Science Laboratory to Nilkhet intersection into a battleground on Tuesday.
Two of the injured succumbed to injuries while undergoing treatment at hospitals while the condition of three others including two students is stated to be critical.
Two of the four cases were filed over the deaths by the relatives. Police filed the two other cases for use of explosives and obstructing law enforcers from performing duties.
