The Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Wednesday said that 15 leaders and activists of the party were killed by law enforcers and ruling Awami League goons in different parts of the country since May 6.
The BNP chairperson’s advisory council member Shamsuzzman Dudu at a
news briefing at the party’s central office said that 15 BNP leaders and activists were killed in the current anti-government movement since May 6.
He said that 11 leaders and activists, including Juba Dal leader Badhan, Chhatra Dal leader Palash and Sramik Dal leader Saidul, were killed in firing by Rapid Action Battalion, police and Border Guard Bangladesh personnel in Narayanganj on May 6 when the leaders and activists brought out a procession in support of general strike.
Dudu also said that people had not accepted the statements of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner and the director general of the Border Guard Bangladesh about early Monday’s operation to disperse Hefajat-e-Islam activists who were holding protests in Shapla Square at Motijheel in the capital Dhaka.
The DMP commissioner, Benazir Ahmed, at a news briefing on Wednesday said that none was killed in the early Monday operation in Shapla Sqaure and alleged that vested interests were spreading rumours that 2,000–3,000 people were killed but, in fact, 11 people, including a policeman, died in the daylong violence of Hefazat activists on Sunday.
The BNP also demanded that the government should issue a press note giving the number of people killed in the operation.
Dudu said that more than 107 leaders and activists of the BNP were arrested at places across the country, more than 211 were injured and one was sentenced to a year in prison by a mobile court centering on Wednesday’s general strike.
He spoke at the briefing after the first day’s general strike. The BNP-led alliance enforces the second day’s strike today.
Asked about BNP sources for the number of death in the operation to disperse Hefajat activists, he said that they had come to know the figure from local and foreign journalists.
As for statements of the DMP commissioner and the BGB director general over the rumours of bodies being concealed, Shamsuzzaman Dudu, now acting as the party’s spokesman, said that that they would need to know whether they had made the statements out of their beliefs or the statements were imposed on them. He said people did not accept and believe in the statements.
Asked whether people have believed in the BNP’s claim, he said that they had believed in the claim.
Dudu asked the prime minister and the home minister to issue a press note on how many people were killed in the Shapla Square, how many police, RAB, BGB personnel took part in the operation, how many rounds were fired and what types of vehicles were used.
Asked about that ruling alliance’s demand for the arrest of the BNP chairperson, Khaleda Zia, for instigating Hefajat activists in vandalism, Dudu said that they had to first look into who had the arms and ammunition and who had fired.
He said that ruling party leaders had made the statements out of partisan considerations.
Asked about city people and party leaders and activists’ not responding to the call of Khaleda on May 5 for standing by Hefajat activists, he said that Khaleda Zia had given a humanitarian call to supply Hefajat men with food, drinking water and medical aid as they were guests of the city. But they were not allowed to do it, he said.
As for follow-up on the expiry of the 48-hour ultimatum Khaleda gave to the government, he said that the situation on May 4 when the ultimatum was given was different than that on May 5 and May 6.
The BNP is enforcing the general strikes following up on the May 5-6 incidents, he said adding that the BNP-led alliance would take the next course of action after the strike.
Courtesy of New Age
