BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas has said that ruling Awami League (AL) retains power by killing people.

AL is using state apparatus to kill the taxpayers, alleged the BNP leader.

He made the comments in a financial grant giving programme organised by BNP for the families of two deceased Jubo Dal leaders- Shamim Mollah from Mugdha Thana Unit and Abdur Rashid from Adabar Thana Unit. 

Shamim Mollah was killed during October 28 grand rally while Abdur Rashid on October 29 during Hartal.

The grant-giving programme on behalf of BNP Acting Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman was held at party Nayapaltan Central office on
Tuesday.

Mirza Abbas said about 15,000 leaders and activists of BNP had been killed by AL, making a lot of children orphans and families helpless.

He said AL destroyed BNP’s October 28 grand rally as part of their plan which included local and international conspiracy groups so that BNP could not participate in the parliament polls.

AL started arresting BNP leaders and activists 18 months before October 28 mass rally, he said.

"They were even continuously threatening our senior leaders showing fear about jail before the 28 October programme," he alleged.

Mirza Abbas said the people of the country had responded to Tareque Rahman's urges by boycotting the January 7 staged dummy election.

Before January 7 election Tarique Rahman requested people to refrain from casting their vote for AL.

BNP Standing Committee member said it is not new for AL to kill people. During 1974-1975 period, AL government had killed about 24-25 thousand people, he said.