Staff Reporter :
BNP leaders at separate programmes on Monday strongly criticised Bangladesh Chhatra League (BCL), the student wing of the ruling Awami League, for its violent activities across the country.
They also came down heavily on the AL and its leadership for patronising the violent BCL activists.
Speaking at a discussion at the Jatiya Press Club in the city, BNP standing committee member Barrister Rafiqul Islam Miah said the ruling party has failed to reign in its student wing and for this reason it will have to pay dearly.
He said, “The Prime Minister is aware about the terrorist activities of the BCL, the student wing of her party. For this, she (premier) might have to leave the country.”
Organised by Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Prajanma Dal, the discussion was also addressed by BNP central leaders Najimuddin Alam, Nilofar Chowdhury Moni and former Football Team captain Aminul Haque while Engineer Mukhles Talukder was in the chair.
Referring to the killing of three students in two universities and some other recent violent activities by the BCL activists in different educational institutions, Barrister Rafique blamed the government is not taking any action against them.
Rather, he alleged, the government is using police and other law enforcing forces against the opposition political parties to achieve its political gains. It (government) is using the law enforcers against the people in a bid to cling to power, he further alleged.
Other speakers at the function were also critical of the BCL for their recent violent activities in different educational institutions and held the government and the ruling party responsible for this. Some of them even termed BCL as a terrorist organisation.
The BNP leaders demanded exemplary punishment for those involved with the recent killing of three students in Rajshahi University and in Bangladesh Agricultural University in Mymensingh.
At a separate human chain BNP Chairperson’s adviser Shamsuzzaman Dudu also came down heavily on the government for its autocratic behaviour and deterioration of the law and order situation. He said although the government talks of democracy, it’s actually busy in establishing one party rule — BAKSAL.
Association of Engineers Bangladesh (AEB) arranged the human chain in front of the National Press Club demanding release of Amar Desh acting editor Mahmudur Rahman and reopening of the closed media.
Chairman of Bangladesh Kallyan Party Maj Gen (Retd) Ibrahim Birpratik, Dr AZM Zahid Hossain and Engineer ANH Akter Hossain also addressed the programme.
Shamsuzzaman Dudu alleged that the government had closed different print and electronic media in an attempt to establishing BAKSAL in the country.
