BNP terms Bhola incident premeditated; seeks fair probe

Describing the incident over the blasphemous Facebook post from a hacked account as a premeditated one, BNP on Monday demanded a fair investigation into Sunday's violence in Bhola to uncover its real reasons, reports UNB. 

"Communal harmony in our country has been a unique example since the time immemorial. People here live peacefully regardless of religion and race. Making untoward comments about a religion has not been there in the tradition of the country," said BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain.

He further said, "We think the Bhola incident was a planned one. We demand a fair investigation to unearth the reasons for which Bhola was bleached with blood, and exemplary punishment of those responsible for the incident."

Mosharraf, a BNP standing committee member, came up with the comment while speaking at a press conference at the party's Naya Paltan central office.

Four people were killed and about 200 others injured on Sunday in a clash between police and demonstrating locals in Borhanuddin upazila, demanding the punishment of a youth for allegedly hurting religious sentiments on the social media.

Police and locals said messages containing derogatory remarks about Allah and Prophet Muhammad were sent to several persons from a hacked Facebook ID of Biplob Chandra Shuvo, triggering a widespread protest.

Describing the Bhola incident as 'mass killing', Mosharraf condemned and protested the 'killing and indiscriminate firing by police' on the common people of the district.

He warned the government that the consequences of ignoring people cannot be good. "Don't play anymore with the lives and property of people. Enough is enough. The trial of mass killing in Bhola must be held and people's demands be accepted."

BNP standing committee members Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku and BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi were, among others, present.