The country's embattled opposition party, the BNP, on Saturday alleged the government has created an appalling situation in the country to try and eliminate their political opponents through the use of force - precisely copying the brutality and misrule of the Pakistani occupation force of 1971.
Speaking at a virtual press briefing, the party's senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi alleged the government has launched a drive to arrest the BNP’s "top to union-level" leaders and workers, with the aim of holding another lopsided election.
"Sheikh Hasina plans to obliterate BNP by force. A terrible situation similar to 1971 is now prevailing in Bangladesh. The Awami League government is exactly copying the cruelty and misrule of the occupation forces of 1971. Awami League is now holding 'peace' rallies like the (pro-Pakistani) 'peace' committees of 1971,” he said.
The BNP leader said the Pakistani occupation forces took away the family members when they did not find the freedom fighters in their houses during the Liberation War in 1971.
“Today's 'Awami' police is following that example. If the son is not found, his brother is taken away, if the brother is not found, his father is taken away. We have to receive such inhuman news constantly from all over the country," he said.
Rizvi said the nation is now witnessing new models of fictitious cases. A Jubo Dal leader, identified by Rizvi as Mamun, was implicated in a case for hurling a crude bomb in Barishal after he had been arrested from Dhaka.
Another BNP leader, Kankan, was implicated in a case for throwing a petrol bomb at a truck, while he was in jail implicated in a separate case. “You will see these things coming up in the newspapers. We often see and hear the news about these funny stories and jokes in the media.,” Rizvi said.
The BNP leader said their party leaders and activists are being repressed and harassed by being named and accused in ‘ridiculous’ cases.
"A spree of arrests from the national leaders of the country to the grassroots ones at the union level is going on in an indescribable manner,” he said.
Besides, he said the opposition leaders and followers are being attacked and killed while observing their democratic programmes.
Rizvi said more than 176 BNP leaders and activists were arrested across the country in the last 24 hours as of 4:30 pm Saturday.
The BNP leader claimed that at least 7,713 BNP leaders and activists were arrested all over the country in 506 fresh cases over the last one week, centring the party’s grand rally at Nayapaltan and subsequent hartal and blockade programmes.
Besides, he said 5,780 opposition leaders and activists were injured, while nine others and a journalist were killed in police actions during the period.
Rizvi claimed that their party leaders and activists, including standing committee member Mirza Abbas, have been subjected to mental and physical repression, besides authorities' misconduct in jail.
He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is unwilling to hold a free and fair election as she has developed a taste for staying in power through lopsided polls. “She will hold the unilateral polls even if it means indulging in bloodshed.”
Rizvi attempted to goad the PM to prove her democratic credentials by arranging elections under a neutral government.
“The prime minister told a foreign media outlet a few days back that people are her main strength. Then why are you not arranging a fair election by handing over power to a non-partisan government? If the people are with you, then why are you afraid of coming to power by holding a free, participatory and competitive election under a neutral government?”
He also questioned why the government is arresting the top leaders of BNP and other opposition parties ahead of the election, after 'brutally' attacking their Nayapaltan grand rally on October 28.
"If the people are on your side, why should you adopt this destructive and bloody path? A government that the people fear is a dictatorial government. One that instead fears the people is a democratic government," the BNP leader said.