UNB, Dhaka :Voicing deep concern over the issuance of security alerts by some western countries for their citizens here following the murder of a foreigner, BNP on Wednesday called for forging a national unity to face any threat to national security and the involving situation in Bangladesh.”Our party wants to trust in the government’s stance that there’s no existence of militancy here. Our party thinks a national consensus is a must now to face the involving situation following the issuance of travel alerts by some countries for their citizens,” said BNP spokesman Asaduzzaman Ripon.Speaking at a press briefing at the party’s Nayapaltan central office, he further said, “We the Bangladeshis can face together any challenge to democracy, religious harmony and national security by forging a national consensus. BNP has been positive about a national consensus and will remain so in the future, too.”Italian citizen Cesare Tavella, 50, was shot dead on Monday evening, prompting some western countries, including the US, the UK and Canada, updated its security alert for its citizens in Bangladesh as done by the United Kingdom and the United States.Ripon lamented that the foreign country’s travel alert for their citizens in Bangladesh has seriously dented the country’s image. “It may affect foreign investment here.” “The foreign countries have updated the travel alert as they are worried about security of their citizens and for lack of their confidence in Bangladeshi authorities’ law and order measures. This is highly detrimental to the country’s image,” he observed.The BNP spokesman said their party firmly believes that Bangladesh is not a fertile land for the emergence of religious extremism. “Bangladesh is a religion-tolerant country. The people of this country are religious as well as respectful of all religions, but they don’t believe in fanaticism.”He alleged that some ministers stigmatised the country’s image of tolerance to all religions and religious harmony through a pernicious campaign of having militants in Bangladesh. “They’re responsible for the emerging situation.”Replying to a question whether the Italian citizen murder has any link to the Australian cricket team’s Bangladesh tour cancellation on security ground, Ripon said as the matter is now under investigation they want to consider it as a separate incident.
