Staff Reporter :
The BNP on Thursday accused the government of inciting violence by attacking the party’s processions countrywide marking the ‘democracy killing day’.
“The ruling party men attacked our leaders and activists in different districts when they brought out processions marking the democracy killing day,” said Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir while addressing a
briefing after a joint meeting at the party’s Naya Paltan office. The party has been observing January 5 as the democracy killing day after the one sided national polls in 2014. As part of the programme, BNP organised countrywide processions with black flags and wearing black badges yesterday.
To observe the black day, the Dhaka City unit of BNP will organise a rally on January 7 (Saturday) at the Suhrawardy Udyan.
Party Chairperson Khaleda Zia will attend the Saturday’s rally as the chief guest, Mirza Fakhrul said.
The joint meeting was a part of the preparation of the rally. Senior leaders of the party were participated in the meeting.
Mirza Fakhrul alleged that the ruling Awami League men attacked the BNP’s peaceful processions in Noakhali, Barisal, Tangail, Mymensingh, Naogaon, Natore, Narayanganj and Jaypurhat.
He also said that some activists from a pro-government organisation — Awami Projonmo League — burned a banner of BNP in front of the party’s Naya Paltan office.
“The miscreants from the ruling party burned our banner in front of the police. It is a clear provocation. The government wants to bring the BNP in the field of violation. But our party and party men are always peaceful. We condemn the government’s such actions,” the BNP secretary general said. He said that the government is putting off our democratic programme by using RAB and police.
The BNP leader said only a neutral election is the way to solve the political crisis. He also criticised the Prime Minister’s speech in which the PM alleged that the BNP men may involve in the killing of MP Manjurul Islam Litan.
Besides, Khaleda Zia on a twitter message asked people to take steps to reinstall democracy in the country.
In Barisal, the BNP alleged that the AL men attacked on their supporters while preparing for a procession. But the AL denied the allegation saying the clash was staged by the BNP. Police said the clash erupted around 11:30am at the city’s Sadar Road,
Deputy Police Commissioner Golam Rouf said that BNP activists gathered in front of its party office in an attempt to take out a procession.
Around the same time, activists the AL’s student and youth affiliates gathered nearby, he said.
“The clash erupted when a bottle was thrown at the Awami League supporters from the BNP gathering,” he said
Witnesses said, Awami League activists were spotted with sticks during the clash. After a while the police intervened and dispersed the trouble makers.
BNP’s Barisal South unit General Secretary Abul Kalam Shahin said, “Awami League activists attacked us while we were getting ready for a peaceful procession.”
He claimed that around 50 of their supporters have been injured.
“It’s all staged by the BNP to make things murky. They started the clash and blamed it on us,” said Abdur Razzak, general secretary of Barisal unit of the AL student front.
