Staff Reporter :The BNP-led 20-party alliance on Saturday strongly criticised the chiefs of police, RAB and BGB for their comments, saying that their political and derogatory statements stunned the whole nation. The alliance termed the statements as ‘audacious’ and ‘out of jurisdiction’.In a statement signed by BNP vice chairman Begum Selima Rahman, the alliance asked those law enforcement officials having political ambition to join the politics after putting off their uniforms and quitting jobs. It also urged the members of the law enforcing agencies not to obey the order of their partisan bosses. “We also call upon all the members of law enforcement agencies that you are not bound to abide by the illegal orders and instructions of those sycophant, beneficiary and ambitious officials,” read the statement. The 20-party in the statement said that it would continue the countrywide nonstop blockade programme. It called upon its leaders and workers and the countrymen to continue the blockade until the victory is achieved. Criticising the statement of the police chief, the 20-party said, “The statement of the police chief has created panic and anxiety among the people. The way he made the statement on Khaleda Zia seems that a Chhatra League leader was speaking wearing a police uniform.”Inspector General of Police (IGP) AKM Shahidul Haque on Friday at a meeting in Rangpur said, “What people can expect from the chief of a political party if she herself gets engaged in illegal activities.” He also said that blockade is ‘unconstitutional’. Director General of RAB (Rapid Action Battalion) Benazir Ahmed also made similar assertion in the meeting. The alliance came down heavily on the heads of the law enforcing agencies, saying that they are delivering statement following the ruling party men. Their statements are unlawful and unconstitutional. “The nation left stunned and astonished by the statements of the heads of the law enforcing agencies,” the statement said. The alliance further said that as the staff of the Republic, the heads of the law enforcing agencies can’t appear in any gathering along with the political leaders, while they also don’t have any right to materialize the agenda of any particular party. By making political address, they have lost their impartiality and posed as ruling party men. About the BGB chief’s Thursday’s comment, the 20-party said that his comment is absolutely derogatory and out of the jurisdiction. Strongly criticising him for the statement, the alliance said that the BGB chief has announced war against the people. Director General of BGB (Border Guard Bangladesh) Maj Gen Aziz Ahmed at a press conference at the BGB headquarters in city’s Peelkhana had said that his force won’t hesitate to use ‘lethal weapons’ and to shoot the bombers to protect people’s lives.The 20-party alleged that the Awami League-led government has curbed the people’s rights since it assumed power and the party never believed that the opposition plays a key part in a democratic society. “We want to place a question to the armed forces as well as all law enforcement agencies whether they will stay with the 95 per cent people or they will carry out orders of the illegal government backed by only 5 per cent votes,” read the statementPointing to the armed forces and law enforcement agencies, the statement also added that the country’s people ensure their wages and salaries. So the law enforcers should not become the tools of vengeance of the ruling party as well as the government.The alliance protested and condemned the confinement of the BNP chief and demanded her release from the confinement. It also demanded release of the BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and other leaders and workers immediately. Meanwhile, the 20-party also expressed its full support to the statement of United Nations Human Rights Commission, which was issued on Friday expressing concern over the political situation in Bangladesh and urging all political parties to show restraint and bring an immediate end to violence.
