Filing cases, arresting BNP men a weapon to suppress opposition: Mirza Fakhrul

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday alleged that filing cases against opposition leaders and activists and arresting them are the biggest weapons of the Awami League government to suppress its political opponents, reports UNB.

Speaking at a rally, he also warned that people’s legitimate movement can never be suppressed by using any weapon.

“The Awami League government very successfully used the state machinery, including police, Rab and other forces, to terrify people. Their biggest weapons are filing cases and arresting BNP leaders and activists to subdue its opponents,” the BNP leader said.

He alleged that the government picks up the dissidents using law enforcers and puts them in jail to thwart a democratic movement.

Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal arranged the rally in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office demanding the immediate release of its general secretary Abdul Monayem Munna and its Dhaka North City unit former president SM Jahangir Hossain, who were arrested from the city’s Malibagh area last week.

Fakhrul said many BNP leaders and activists were made disappeared, tortured, maimed and killed while 35 lakh others were made accused in different ‘false’ cases. “But the government could not subdue BNP and foil its movement. I would like to ask Awami League to take a lesson that people’s justified movement can’t be blocked by using any weapon. No one also could do it in the past.”

He recalled that no powerful rulers, including Hitler, Mussolini and Ayub Khan, could stay in power against the will of the people. “We repeatedly told the government that they could not realise the eye-langue of people and the wall writings. Please, try to understand it.”

He said people are struggling to cope with the unusual price hikes in power, gas and daily essentials. “We don’t know what happen in the future as Ramada is forthcoming.”

Amid such a situation, the BNP leader alleged that the government is importing electricity from India's Adani Group at almost double the price. “When the country’s people and we’re strongly demanding cancellation of the deal, they imported 50mw power from the company. How much audacity and mockery it is! They have done it ignoring people as they have given an undertaking (to Adani).”

He said the current government has destroyed all the achievements of the country and its people.

He also alleged that the ruling party leaders and activists are indulging in widespread corruption in the name of mega projects. “When 42 per cent of people are living below the poverty line and when people can’t afford rice, oil, other commodities and tuition fees of their children, the government is destroying the country by taking such mega projects and indulging in massive corruption. “

Fakhrul alleged that most of the banks have got depleted through the plundering by the ruling party.

He called upon the BNP leaders and activists to be more organised to oust the current government by intensifying their ongoing movement.