A series of threats and ultimatums issued by BNP leaders followed by involvement of BNP-Jamaat men in burning buses and other vehicles alongside defending a corrupt leadership contradict the party’s claim of lack of level-playing field, Sajeeb Wazed, who spearheaded the Digital Bangladesh campaign, tweeted.
The tweet posted with a video on Sajeeb Wazed’s verified X account points to a “dismal show of support” during BNP’s rallies in support on the recent blockades. “Rallies brought out in support of blockade with demands to foil the polls in different parts mostly witnessed grim turnout,” it says.
“BNP’s verified social media handles have been vocal to prove the ongoing spree of violence has been masterminded by the government… they kept mum on concerns raised by civil society and minorities who equated the call by Tarique to decide the fate of the country on streets to clear instigation for violence,” the video says.
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No explanation has come from any leader on the vision Jamaat-e-Islami leaders publicly offered – to enforce Sharia law in the country – from a rally on October 28, it adds.
Introducing one Mian Arefy as the “advisor to US President Joe Biden,” bringing him to the party office where flanked by BNP leaders, Arefy assured BNP and Jamaat of “support from the US President to ensure regime change in Bangladesh” demonstrate that hoax and smear campaigns have become part and parcel for BNP, the video says.
In reference to one senior BNP leader Amanullah Aman who last year issued a dictum that the country will be run by Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Rahman, the video adds, such public ultimatums further expose the party’s leadership and supporters were preparing for the ongoing spell of violence for a long time.
Read: Sajeeb Wazed lashes out at 'BNP-Jamaat' over killing of Jubo League leader
Sajeeb Wazed’s post also referred to threats by several grassroots BNP leaders of restaging 1975-style coups that saw as many as 19 family members of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of the nation, assassinated.
Media reports revealed over the span of last one month that a number of activists from BNP and other affiliated bodies were caught red-handed while setting buses on fire, reads the post.
Moreover, a letter sent to foreign missions by BNP, claiming the attacks are orchestrated by AL, even went ahead to project Tarique Rahman, who stands convicted in a number of cases, as innocent – turning a blind eye to media reports on the fugitive acting BNP chief’s deep-rooted nexus with militant outfits who carried out the August 21 grenade attack, added the video.