Senior BNP leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain on Tuesday alleged that the ruling party men were indulging in extortion in all markets and shopping malls across the country, including Dhaka, with the backing of the government.
"The New Market incident ensued because of the extortion of those who rule this country and the thugs of the illegitimate government," he said while speaking at a rally in the capital.
“Who is extorting money from all the markets across Bangladesh, including Dhaka city? Those who belong to the ruling party and its associate bodies are extorting money with the backing of the government,” said the former minister, who is facing a number of corruption cases.
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BNP’s Dhaka south and north city units arranged the rally in front of the Jatiya Press Club demanding the release of party leader Moqbul Hossain and the withdrawal of “false cases” filed by police in connection with the bloody clashes in the city’s New Market area on April 19.
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Mosharraf, a BNP Standing Committee member, alleged that the ruling party-backed extortionists were responsible for the violence in the New Market area that claimed the lives of two people.
“The shopkeepers of New Market put up a resistance against extortion while the cadres wearing helmets killed people to suppress this resistance. It’s now people's question as to why no case is filed against them (ruling party men). But our leader Makbul was arrested and put on remand as he has an only fault that he owns a shop in New Market,” he said.
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The BNP leader demanded that the government arrest the real perpetrators immediately and put them on trial.
Mentioning that Bangladesh was now under “misrule” of the Awami League government, Mosharraf said that ousting the current government was the only option to get rid of it.
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"The fascist and despotic government of Sheikh Hasina must quit power. We all have to take to the streets in a greater way to make it happen,” he added.
