National Citizens’ Party (NCP) Convener Nahid Islam has vowed to campaign in every village of Gopalganj, declaring the district will belong to pro-Bangladesh forces, not ‘Mujibists’.
“We will go to Gopalganj again. If we remain alive, we will campaign in every village of every upazila of Gopalganj. The flag of the July mass uprising will fly in every household of Gopalganj. Gopalganj will not belong to the ‘Mujibists’, it will belong to Bangladeshis,” he wrote on his verified Facebook page on Thursday (July 17).
“We had made a commitment to go to Gopalganj. We have gone, and under oath by the blood of the martyrs, we have declared that we will not allow Mujibism to take root in Gopalganj or anywhere on the soil of Bangladesh,” Nahid added.
Nahid, however, clarified that his party harbours no political bias against the residents of Gopalganj.
Attack on NCP leaders in Gopalganj carried out with intent to murder: Nahid Islam
“We oppose political discrimination against the people of Gopalganj. We will free Gopalganj and the entire country from the terror and fascism of Mujibism. The Awami League has, for decades, endangered the lives of the people of Gopalganj, tarnished the Liberation War, and treated the followers of ‘Sanatan Dharma’ unjustly. We have stated that we will change this situation,” he said.
Speaking about the notion of a ‘reshaped Awami League’, Nahid said, “Even after so much bloodshed by the Awami League during the mass uprising, some still wanted to bring a refined Awami League after 5 August. They should remember that the Awami League is no longer a political party, it is a terrorist organisation.”
Despite early-day sabotage, he said, they were granted security clearance to enter Gopalganj as per the instructions of the administration and security forces.
“We did not march; we only held a roadside gathering. Our people were not allowed to enter from various upazilas of Gopalganj. Buses were stopped in different locations. Still, we peacefully concluded our rally. On the way back, armed attacks were carried out by Awami terrorists. We came out of the area following the instructions given by the security forces.”
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Commenting on Wednesday’s attack and casualties linked to NCP’s march in Gopalganj, Nahid demanded a proper investigation and justice.
“We have heard that four people were killed. We do not support or expect any extrajudicial killings. Legal action must be taken against the terrorists through due judicial process,” he said.
Nahid also accused the administration and intelligence agencies of inaction.
“If the administration and intelligence agencies had taken proper steps at the right time, this situation would not have occurred. The government and the administration must take responsibility for this. We demand a thorough investigation into the entire incident and justice for the acts of terrorism,” he added.