BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir warned on Friday that the movement his party's activists have thrown themselves into can no longer be suppressed by attacks and arrests.
“We want to make it very clear that the movement can never be suppressed by such terrorist attacks, by killing, arresting and suing with false cases. BNP cannot be removed from the streets," said Fakhrul.
He was speaking in a press conference at the chairperson's office in Gulshan this morning.
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Fakhrul said, "Yesterday, when the stage was being prepared for the rally in Pallabi zone with the permission of the police, just then the Awami League (AL) terrorists armed with weapons and sticks attacked on our leaders and activists chanting 'Joy Bangla' slogans. This was all covered in the media.”
Around 75 of the BNP activists were injured in the attack while eight were arrested, he claimed.
The rally was scheduled to be held in the Pallabi Zone at the Eidgah ground in D Block. After the police objected, BNP leaders changed it to two other places, either in front of Old Pallabi Old Police Station or in Mukul Fauj field in front of Pallabi Kitchen Market, said Fakhrul
The police finally gave permission to hold this rally at Mukul Fauz field at 1 pm. Yet the attack was carried out just when the activists were preparing the stage for the rally, he added.
"The saddest, horrifying incident is when our leaders and activists stood up to resist the attackers yesterday, the police charged batons, tear gas and opened fire on our leaders to disperse them."
He said, "We have been saying again and again that the role of the police should be to protect, to remain neutral. But the police are fully working to suppress the pro-democracy movement on behalf of these attackers, the Awami League and the terrorists.”
Fakhrul asserted that the ruling party and police's actions reflect they want to provoke a violent situation.
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"We think that they are doing these things to create a violent situation, to destroy the democratic atmosphere in the country, to keep the opposition away from politics and away from the electoral field," said Fakhrul.
Meanwhile, BNP has announced nationwide demonstrations for Sunday protesting the attack on their programme in Mirpur.
On Thursday, at least 100 BNP activists were injured during a series of clashes with ruling Awami League rivals at the capital's Mirpur area over holding a scheduled rally.
Earlier on September 10, BNP announced to hold public rallies in 16 spots under its Dhaka south and north city units until September 27 in protest against the increase in prices of essentials, fuel and transport fares.
The rallies are also meant for registering the party’s protest against the killings of Bhola Chhatra Dal leader Noor-e-Alam, Swechchasebak Dal leader Abdur Rahim and Narayanganj Jubo Dal leader Shaon Prodhan.