26 March's violent acts planned by govt: Fakhrul

The violent incidents broke out on 26 March centring the visit of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi to Bangladesh were planned and executed by the government, Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has alleged.

The BNP leader said the ruling Awami League leaders and activists had a provocation to create an environment unleashing violent activities both in Brahmanbaria and Hathazari, Chattogram.

Such a chaotic environment was created to suppress and oppress This was done to use it politically to inflict oppressions on the opposition, stated Mirza Fakhrul while addressing a media conference at the party chairperson’s Gulshan office in the capital on Tuesday.

Leaders and activists of Islamist hardliner, Hefazat-e-Islam and a section of devotees locked into a clash with the ruling party men in the National Baitul Mukarram Mosque area, Dhaka on 26 March centering the visit of Indian prime minister Narendra Modi.

Later, police cracked down on the protesters. Modi came on a two-day state visit to attend the twin programmes of golden jubilee of Bangladesh’s Liberation War and the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The fallout of the incident in Dhaka sparked protests and demonstrations in Hathazari, Chattogram and in Brahmanbaria. Violence erupted there as well.

The government has taken up another mission to annihilate opposition forces, the BNP leader told the press conference.

Mirza Fakhrul said around 17,000 are forced to leave home in Saltha upazila of Faridpur after they were made accused in lawsuits. In the same way, BNP leaders and activists are being harassed across the country by implicating them in false cases.

“No authoritarian, dictatorial or fascist government could stay in power by taking position against the people in such a planned way. There’s no such instance in history,” Fakhrul said.

Criticising the government’s move to shut banks during lockdown, Fakhrul said the government could have kept the banks open in a limited scale. “The government has no coordination, no planning and no roadmap.”

He also criticised the government’s plans regarding lockdown from tomorrow (Wednesday) to curb the coronavirus infection in the country. “What would happen after seven days (of lockdown)? What steps have been taken for people who live from hand to mouth? You cannot keep them at home. What will the people, who do not have anything to eat, do with lockdown or coronavirus? The number of such people is huge.”

The BNP secretary general said, "Even in the last time we saw those who would work as housemaids started begging."

He called upon the government to constitute a national committee with people from all the parties to face the coronavirus situation. “The government is not involving people as they want to loot people’s money, they want to embezzle billions of taka.”

Mirza Fakhrul also alleged that the government is confusing people with information on coronavirus infection situation. The government is saying that such and such number of people is infected. But enough test is not being done. The government’s stance on coronavirus is like that of Donald Trump, “no test, no corona”.

The de facto opposition leader further alleged that he could not arrange test for three people of his residence even after trying very hard.

Regarding the price hike of daily necessaries before the holy month of Ramadan, Mirza Fakhrul said, in reality all the syndicates in markets are led by the Awami League men. Even the TCB (Trading Corporation of Bangladesh) has increased the price of daily necessaries.

He also informed the newspersons that situation of party chairperson Khaleda Zia was stable until this noon. Khaleda Zia has been tested positive for coronavirus infection.

Mirza Fakhrul demanded full bail of Khaleda Zia in this pandemic situation.