A senior minister and a presidium member yesterday in parliament alleged that some Dhaka-based diplomats were backing the Islamic militants though in public they speak against militancy.
While issuing a statement under rule 300 of the Rules of procedure Begum Matia Chowdhury, the agriculture minister and presidium member of the ruling Awami League, said the BNP-Jamaat had connection with the JMB and al-Qaeda.
The western diplomats provided supports to the BNP-Jamaat government that fuelled militancy in the country, she said.
Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim made the similar allegation.
On February 16, he warned the diplomats not to meet the BNP chairperson or face action from the government.
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said the Pakistan’s intelligence agency the ISI had link with the February 25-26 massacre at the Pilkhana.
He said the BNP chairperson knew about the massacre in the BDR headquarters.
“One day it will be proved that Khaleda Zia was involved in the massacre of the BDR headquarters,” he said.
According to the parliamentary rule, the statement issued under rule 300 is considered as an official position of the government. No discussion or debate takes place for a statement issued under rule 300.
Matia Chowdhury took the floor to counter the BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir who trashed her previous statement in which she said al-Qaeda’s Ayman Al Zawahiri visited Bangladesh in 2002 when the BNP-Jammat was in power.
Matia mentioned the Time magazine as her source of information.
The minister said: “It is nothing new or nothing secret that the BNP maintains link with terrorists, militants, Taliban and al-Qaeda.”
Matia said she had questions in mind about the role of the diplomats on their position on militancy and terrorism as they had meetings with terrorists and the militants at some places and Madrasas.
“Diplomats frequently preach us against the militants but they provide support to these terrorists and hold series of meetings with militants and terrorists. We also see good relations with those who had in power and had connections with militants,” said the minister.
She said the diplomats nourish the militants.
“Some foreign forces maintain good relationship with militants…they provide all types of supports to militants and those parties in Bangladesh maintaining good relations. We see no lapse in their friendly relations with militants,” she said.
Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, an Awami League presidium member, took the floor in an unscheduled discussion
“What is the purpose of such meetings (of the diplomats) with them (Hefazat)?” he asked.
Sheikh Selim said the diplomats had had meetings with the forces that opposed Bangladesh’s independence.
“What signal does it convey?” he said.
He said the BNP and Jamaat were militant organisations, which could in no way be political organisations.
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed criticised the BNP-Jamaat for their links with the militant organisations.
Tajul Islam Chowdhury, the chief whip of the opposition, took floor and demanded stern action against the militants. He said the people across the country were scared about the snatching of the militants from Tangail.
Nazibul Bashar Maizbhandari of Tariquat Federation alleged that BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia had become the leader of the militant forces.
He said the government should confiscate and nationalise the money making institutions of Jamaat-Shibir such as Islami Bank, Ibn Sina and others. The Tariquat chief said Khaleda Zia had been involved in all the incidents of terrorism.
“Arrest her (Khaleda Zia) if necessary,” said Nazibul commenting that the whole nation had turned to the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for a prosperous Bangladesh.
He said the Jamaat has link with terrorist organisations. “So, why the Jamaat is not being banned,” he asked.
Workers’ Party MP Fazle Hossain Badsha said: “It is possible to prove the BNP’s link with the JMB. The government should not allow the BNP enjoy the democratic facilities and help the militant for long”.
“This is very dangerous for our independence and sovereignty,” he said.
