Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Mia Golam Porwar on Monday alleged that violence is increasing as the BNP government is seeking to establish control across the country through what he described as a ‘fascist’ approach.
“After coming to power, BNP is shamelessly taking control and authority through syndicates in metropolitan areas, districts, upazilas, unions and villages, conspiring to bring the entire country under their grip through a fascist approach. That is why violence is increasing in the country,” he said.
Porwar made these remarks at an emergency briefing on the deteriorating law and order situation at Jamaat’s central office at the Moghbazar area in the capital.
He alleged that the law and order situation had deteriorated sharply during the government’s seven months in office, while the Home Minister remained silent despite concerns raised by political parties and civil society.
“Government party leaders and ministers are patronising all crimes,” he alleged, adding that criminals were getting opportunities because they were receiving signals from the higher levels of the government.
Porwar alleged that government supporters were creating unrest over issues including fertiliser distribution, allowances for imams and khatibs and distribution of farmers’ family cards.
He also alleged political bias in the recruitment of primary school teachers, claiming that candidates affiliated with Jubo Dal and Chhatra Dal were being selected while others were being denied appointment letters in the name of verification.
He claimed the process was aimed at appointing people affiliated with the BNP as polling and presiding officers in the next election.
Porwar also accused reserved women MPs of interfering in the activities of elected MPs, alleging that development allocations were being made through their DO letters by rejecting those issued by elected lawmakers.
Referring to recent incidents, he mentioned the reported attack and vandalism at Radda health centre in Mirpur and an attack on content creator Salman Muqtadir’s studio in the ECB area.
Porwar demanded the immediate arrest and speedy trial of those involved in the attacks and their patrons and ensuring an impartial investigation to examine the role of the local administration and law enforcement agencies during the incident.