BNP senior leader Mirza Abbas on Monday alleged that a planned effort is underway to eliminate their party, saying pro-BNP officials are being replaced by those loyal to the Awami League or Jamaat-e-Islami in the administration and other key government offices.

“What is happening inside the Secretariat? The cohorts of fascists remain untouched and in place. Those who should be in jail are now serving as secretaries. Many of them were secretaries during the Awami League regime and continue to hold the same positions,” he told a discussion.

In contrast, the BNP leader said those who served in the administration during the BNP’s tenure and have not yet retired are now being sidelined and disregarded.

Nasir Uddin Ahmed Pintu Smriti Sangsad organised the programme at the Jatiya Press Club, marking the 10th death anniversary of former BNP Organising Secretary Nasir Uddin Ahmed Pintu.

Abbas, a BNP standing committee member, said this orchestrated sidelining of pro-BNP officials has begun, aimed at eliminating the BNP’s influence. “BNP-aligned officers are being excluded, while pro-Awami League or at least Jamaat-e-Islami loyalists are being given positions… This trend has now spread to police stations, courts, and all levels of the Secretariat. This BNP-cleansing move has begun.”

As part of the consequences of such a plot against the BNP, he said former President Abdul Hamid, being an accused in a murder case, was allowed to leave the country through the airport.

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“If the BNP can be eliminated, Bangladesh’s resources can be plundered like the Awami League did… The BNP is the only political party now standing against foreign influence and striving to protect the country from external masters. If there were any other patriotic party, they would have raised their voices by now,” he said.

Abbas, however, reminded the current government that the previous Awami League government also tried to ruin the BNP, but failed.

He criticised the government for allowing former President Abdul Hamid to leave the country gracefully using the VIP gate.

“I read in the newspapers that he wore a lungi, a T-shirt, and a mask while leaving... but how did he get access to the VIP area? Unless you're a well-connected individual or a VIP, how is that possible?” the BNP leader said.

He said though Hamid passed through the airport taking advantage of VIP privileges, the government pretended to know nothing. “Some 622 Awami League members also left the country, but the government said it knew nothing about it. It is necessary to know what you know.”

Abbas alleged that for the past few days, the nation has been witnessing what looks like a circus, a drama of sorts unfolding in Bangladesh.

“That’s how it appears to me. In the past, we noticed that whenever Sheikh Hasina was about to take some action, she used to carry out something shady elsewhere to divert our attention. Seeing such acts, we could assume she was going to carry out her agenda,” he said.

Abbas also questioned why a sudden drama was unfolding at Shahbagh, as the area had previously been restricted for rallies and demonstrations.

He alleged that, despite the ban, members of the ‘ruling’ NCP held rallies and brought out processions there under government patronage. “Their demand was for the banning of the Awami League. Who was stopping them (govt) from doing that? Was the BNP stopping them?”

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Abbas said strong efforts were being made to accuse BNP of trying to rehabilitate the Awami League. “Why should we do it? They (AL) have taken 17 years of our lives. We’ve been separated from our families, suffered serious health issues, and none of our families have lived in peace. Not a single one of our activists has had a peaceful night’s sleep in 17 years. And now we are the ones who are supposed to foster and rehabilitate the Awami League?”

He claimed that an unpopular party and certain quarters, envious of the BNP and unable to tolerate or accept the party, are deliberately attempting to malign the image of the party.

The BNP leader also claimed that their party leaders, including himself, have been unequivocally talking about the trial of the Awami League in their speeches made on various occasions. "Those who claim that BNP wants to rehabilitate the Awami League are enemies of the nation.”