Staff Reporter :BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia on Tuesday said that Awami League is a ‘heathen’ party although the party wears the mask of secularism. “Actually it is not a secular party. It believes in heathenism and attacks on the values of all religions,” she made the comment while talking to journalists after exchanging greetings with members of the country’s Hindu community on the occasion of Durga Puja. The BNP chief hosted a reception to members of the Hindu community at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB) in the city on Tuesday afternoon. The five-day Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, ended on October 4.Khaleda Zia alleged that the Awami League grabs lands, residences and other properties of the members of the Hindu community. “The party also vandalises temples and other religious establishments across the country. But it tries to shift the blame to others,” she added. “The Awami League took possession of land, property and business houses belonging to the Hindu community after independence. Since then, the party has done the most harm to the country,” she said.The BNP chief claimed that her party believes in communal harmony in the country. She urged the Hindus to come under her party’s flag. If the party forms government, it will be the government of all — the Muslims, Hindus, Buddists and Christians. Referring to the killing of Biswajit of Old Dhaka and Advocate Chandan Sarker of Narayanganj, she said that the members of Hindu community are not safe in the hands of the ruling party alongside with the common people of the country. She alleged that the Awami League has been using the Hindu community since the independence, but the community has got nothing from the party. The party thinks Hindus have no other choice but to cast votes for it. BNP acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, vice-chairperson Selima Rahman, Dhaka city committee member secretary Habib-Un Nabi Khan Sohel, senior leaders Gautam Chakraborty, Nitai Roy, MK Anwar, Dr Moin Khan, Barrister Rafiqul Islam Mia, Brig Gen (Rtd) ASM Hannan Shah, Joyonta Kumar Kundu and Arpana Roy, among others, joined the programme.
