BNP acting secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has accused domestic and foreign groups of conspiring to put the Bangladesh government under pressure. He alleged that the groups were using labour unrest to create instability.
Rizvi made the remarks during a meeting with journalists at a hotel in Sylhet city on Monday afternoon.
He said defeated forces were trying to mislead workers and bring them onto the streets. He also alleged that evidence had been found of Awami League activists’ involvement in the unrest.
Rizvi said police had arrested 11 Chhatra League and Jubo League activists at the scene the previous day. He also alleged that an organizing secretary of Jagannath University Chhatra League had admitted their activities in a social media post.
He said attempts were under way to create social unrest, but that the BNP, which had campaigned for democracy for 17 years, believed in tolerance. He said the government was taking a hard line against extortion, muscle power, land grabbing and disorder, following a zero-tolerance policy on such crimes.
Rizvi also referred to protests against Khaleda Zia by Jamaat-e-Islami and other political parties in 1994, 1995 and 1996. He said people also remembered how the Awami League government later put various leaders at risk of execution. He said attempts to create political confusion and put the BNP under pressure would fail.
He said Bangladeshis wanted democracy and sought to form a government through a free and fair election. He said the BNP and its allies, led by Tarique Rahman, came to power through the February 12 election, and that people would not accept attempts to take power through a back door.
On nominations for the coming local government elections, Rizvi said district and upazila leaders would discuss and select suitable candidates. Candidates with greater popularity and a stronger chance of winning would be considered.
He said the nomination process would intensify after the election schedule was announced. Party activities would be organized once the voting and nomination-submission dates were set.
BNP standing committee member Professor Farhad Halim Donar, Sylhet City Corporation administrator Abdul Qayum Chowdhury, central executive committee joint organizing secretary Mifta Siddiqui, parliament member Advocate Emran Ahmed Chowdhury and Abdul Malik Chowdhury were among those present.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report