Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Saturday said the attack on Osman Hadi was preplanned and part of a deep conspiracy as a big force is working behind it.

"This attack is very symbolic. They want to show their power and want to disrupt all the election arrangements. These must be dealt with unitedly," the Chief Adviser told political leaders at a meeting held at the State Guest House Jamuna on Saturday.

Leaders of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami and Jatiya Nagorik Party (NCP) met the Chief Adviser a day after a gun attack on Inquilab Moncho spokesperson and potential independent candidate for Dhaka-8 constituency Sharif Osman Hadi.

Terming the attack on Hadi as part of a conspiracy to thwart the July Uprising, political party leaders said that political parties are united to thwart all attempts to spoil the July movement.

The information received so far shows that the conspirators have expanded their network, said the Chief Adviser, pointing out that they have taken to the field with trained shooters.

BNP Standing Committee members Salahuddin Ahmed and Hafizuddin Ahmed, Jamaat Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar and Assistant Secretary General Advocate Ehsanul Mahbub Zubair, NCP convener Nahid Islam and southern region chief organiser Hasnat Abdullah, Inqulab Moncho member secretary Abdullah Al Jaber and Law Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul attended the meeting.

At the meeting, political parties decided to hold an all-party protest rally protesting the heinous attack on Osman Hadi and the rally will be held within the next couple of days.

Leaders of the BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami and NCP stressed the need for increasing communication among political parties to prevent cracks in the anti-fascist political unity.

The political leaders also stressed the need for strictly carrying out operations to recover illegal arms ahead of the election.

BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed said that in this situation everyone must remain united and under no circumstances should they resort to blaming one another.

He said, “We must raise our voices together against conspiracies. We will not tolerate any kind of evil force.”

Jamaat leader Golam Parwar said, “Recently, our various statements have increased the tendency to blame one another which has given our opponents an opportunity. We must remain united as we were before.”

NCP convenor Nahid Islam said that since the July uprising some people have been carrying out various activities to undermine the uprising. “There is an organised campaign against July. This is happening at various levels of the media and the administration. Those who come to power after the election will also suffer from this. No one will be able to run the government alone.”

‘Hadi our backbone; he must survive’: His sister tells Prof Yunus

NCP southern region organiser Hasnat Abdullah said, “If we cannot remain united ourselves, no security will be of any use to us. For political interests, parties are creating various opportunities for the Awami League.”

The Chief Adviser said they must think about what can be done for the future.

He said that not only the government, but also all must remain strong. “There will be political statements but the culture of viewing others as enemies or attacking them must be abandoned. During elections, tensions arise but it must be kept in mind that these should remain controlled within a certain limit,” he said.

Law Adviser Asif Nazrul urged political parties to remain united. “You must remain alert not only about party interests but also about national interests.”