Grenade attacks on Awami League leaders, targeted killings of progressive politicians, severing tendons of opposition activists, and using the state apparatus including brutal use of police force on women politicians were some of the methods Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami — during their last stint in power — applied in their attempt to decimate the then opposition AL, reminds a tweet from the verified account of the party.
With a compilation of mainstream media coverage, a video was posted from the Twitter account that featured how the BNP-Jamaat led government, that ruled the country between 2001 and 2006, “unleashed unprecedented terror” on the then opposition leaders and activists, ostensibly to wipe out the ideals and legacy of Awami League.
“‘Confining Sheikh Hasina, AL activists beaten up mercilessly,’ ‘Police brutality on AL activists who were on hunger strike,’” are some headlines from media reports cited in the video.
The video includes footage of then opposition leader Sheikh Hasina’s speech at an anti-terrorism rally, ripped apart by a series of grenade explosions on August 21, 2004 that left at least 24 AL leaders and activists dead with 300 injured including Sheikh Hasina who narrowly escaped with ear injuries.
“Female politicians were deliberately targeted during street protests,” reads the visuals referring to a media report — “Police charged baton on female protesters” — accompanied by a photo showing a group of cops surrounding a female activist, with her clothes torn apart.
“Grenade attack in Sylhet, Kamran narrowly escapes,” “Explosion and gunfire at Sheikh Hasina’s rally” are some headlines included in the video from reports published during that time.
Referring to attack on the press, the video observes “Journalists attacked across the country for reporting on corruption and state sponsorship of terrorism,” citing some media reports.
Knife attacks on opposition leaders and lawmakers emerged as another method to suppress them, says the video with a news report titled “AL lawmaker stabbed in Jhenidah.”
Referring to AL’s right to freedom of assembly at the time, the video reads “There was no such right as Sheikh Hasina repeatedly came under attack and senior politicians were indiscriminately and arbitrarily arrested.”
Over the fate of a non-government organization Proshika, the video says “NGOs which did not toe the BNP-Jamaat line like Proshika were intimidated and harassed” with a citation of media report.
On the infamous “Operation Clean Heart” launched by the BNP-Jamaat government that saw as many as 44 deaths in custody and hundreds sustaining injuries, the video reads: “The armed forces were used to target opposition politicians under Operation Clean Heart.”
Passing an act to give immunity to all the officials who took part in the operation, the then government said 12 victims died of heart attack in hospitals after being handed over to police.