Govt launches 'crackdown' in lockdown: Fakhrul

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday alleged the leaders and activists of his party and its associate bodies are being arrested and harassed in connection with cases related to Hefazat-e-Islam despite the Bangladesh Nationalist Party having no connection with Hefazat or any of its programmes.

"It is as if the government is using the lockdown to launch a crackdown," said Mirza Fakhrul, making the allegation in a virtual press briefing.

The BNP secretary general said the people hit by the second wave of coronavirus have become helpless, and money, arms and power have been proved meaningless during this calamity.

The deadly disease coronavirus is taking its death warrant to people's doorsteps and under such circumstances, if corona is not strictly brought under control, the situation will be devastating, Mirza Fakhrul warned.

The BNP secretary general also alleged the government is not working for the welfare of the people during this great calamity, but is simply delivering eloquent speeches. It has utterly failed to tackle the coronavirus in all respects, he said.

Mirza Fakhrul said BNP as a responsible political party protested against the killing of people in gunfire on 26 March, Independence Day.

The leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies are facing a crackdown by the government, he said, adding some 179 leaders and activists have been arrested since 26 March.

The BNP secretary general said the government is torturing the people including leaders and activists so that none can protest against the misrule.

"The main goal of the regime is to eliminate BNP from the country".

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made an appeal to free the leaders and activists and withdraw the cases against them.