BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Sunday alleged that there is no doubt that the government incited the recent communal violence to make political gains.
“Let there be no doubt the government carried out the communal incidents through its agents. Awami League tried to make political gains with it,” he said.
Speaking at a roundtable discussion, the BNP leader also said there was surely a political motive behind the communal violence centring Durga Puja. “Those who have been illegally staying in power by force did it to perpetuate their power and win the game in the name of the next election.”
Nari O Shishu Odhikar Forum, a platform of BNP, arranged the programme on communal violence at Dhaka Reporters’ Unity (DRU).
Read: Now ‘extreme anarchy’ everywhere: Fakhrul
Fakhrul said their party’s two committees formed over the communal attacks visited the violence-hit areas and carried out an investigation into the incidents. “We’ve no doubt that the government is solely responsible for the violence.”
He also said the government carried out communal incidents to shift the blame on BNP and thus divert people’s attention to a different direction from the ongoing movement on different issues.
The BNP leader said a ‘mentally imbalanced’ man was used in a planned way to keep the holy Quran at a puja mandap in Cumilla and then Muslims were provoked to indulge in violence by circulating that Islam was attacked and ruined. “Police also opened fire in Hajiganj of Chandpur. So, it’s clear that the government incited the violence.”
He said two Chhatra League leaders--Saikat Mandal and Md Robiul Islam--led the arson attacks on Hindu houses in Rangpur in the presence of police.
Fakhrul said the leaders of Awami League and its associate bodies were involved in all communal incidents under the rule of the current government. “But none was punished and brought under trial. They (AL) want to use communal incidents as their weapons to resist and suppress those who have been in a movement to restore democracy and people’s voting rights.”
He said the country has been facing political instability and violence since 2012 as the government annulled the caretaker government system to cement its power.
“We would like to clearly say that no election can be held in a fair and credible manner under Awami League. Lack of democracy is the main cause behind all the problems in Bangladesh. We must restore democracy. Or else, we won’t get rid of the crisis,” the BNP leader said.
Read:Govt out to clear election field: Fakhrul
He said the country’s majority of people now want a change in power. “But the youths should come forward first to bring that change. The political parties must play their role, but the youths will have to work as the vanguard of the political forces.”
He said those who are destroying communal harmony in Bangladesh are working very cleverly to obliterate democracy and keep a party in power permanently. “So, we must have a goal to establish a pro-people government through a credible and acceptable election.”
Stating that their party has been on a movement to restore democracy, he said they are confident about the success as the people of this country never got defeated in the past.
“We believe we’ll be able to reach our target of building a democratic society and state through our movement and struggle by uniting people. We’ll surely turn victorious,” he added.