BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Saturday described the gun attack on Dhaka-8 independent candidate Sharif Osman Hadi as a well-planned conspiracy and demanded exemplary punishment for the real perpetrators through a proper investigation.
“This is a planned conspiracy aimed at putting the blame on BNP leaders. The real miscreants must be identified and punished through a fair and credible investigation,” he said while speaking at a protest rally in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.
Rizvi also said the attack on Hadi, as well as a separate attack on BNP-nominated candidate Ershad Ullah in Chattogram-8 seat, is not an isolated incident.
The rally was organised by BNP to protest the attacks on Hadi and Ershadullah and to demand quick justice.
Within one or two hours of the shooting, Rizvi said, a motivated post spread on social media, making objectionable and defamatory remarks against BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas without any investigation. “If guilt is decided on Facebook within such a short time, then what is the need for an investigation?” he questioned.
The BNP leader said many influential political leaders from different parties live in areas such as Shantinagar, Sajanpur and Khilgaon, but none of them ever faced such an attack. “Then why was Sharif Osman Hadi suddenly targeted?” Rizvi asked.
He said Hadi never spoke against Mirza Abbas, nor he attacked him politically. “He spoke against injustice and against the enemies of the country. Is becoming an independent candidate in Dhaka-8 his crime?”
He also criticised a recent social media post by a student leader, saying it is unacceptable to label a senior national leader without any proof.
Rizvi highlighted Mirza Abbas’s long political career, saying there had never been any allegation of violence against him in nearly 50 years of politics.
“Even those he disagrees with say that although he may scold people, he has never harmed anyone. It is not believable that such a guardian-like figure would harm someone young enough to be his son,” he said.
The BNP leader mentioned that the Police Commissioner has already told the media that those involved in the attack have been identified and that important clue has been found.
“This is not BNP’s claim. This is the statement of a responsible state authority,” he said.
The BNP leader alleged that a vested group has carefully planned the attack to frame BNP leaders. “This master plan is now slowly becoming clear. The people understand it, and the administration also knows who is behind this dangerous conspiracy.”
He warned against attempts to create disorder in the name of mob politics. “Anarchy and mob violence can never establish good governance, justice or democracy.”