The main opposition BNP has described the Savar high-rise collapse as a politically motivated incident, in which people were killed in a planned way. “A good number of people, including readymade garment workers, were killed in a planned way in the Rana Plaza collapse incident,” BNP leader MK Anwar said on Friday. The BNP standing committee member also demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident, and asked for the arrest and speedy trial of the people responsible for the tragedy. Anwar was addressing a discussion on “Democracy and Freedom of Speech,” organised by Oitirghya, at the National Press Club, in Dhaka, on Friday.
He criticised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for saying that Sohel Rana, the owner of the collapsed building, had had no relation with the youth front of Awami League.
“The Prime Minister is misleading people by making irresponsible statements about the Savar tragedy. She is only interested in hanging on to power through illegal means,” he said.
BNP had called off its hartal programme and party chief Khaleda Zia visited the spot to extend her sympathy to the victims, he claimed.
“It is surprising that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been making misleading remarks without visiting the place. She made similar statements after the murder of Biswajit and Ramu’s religious violence,” he said. “I cannot claim that the Premier is lying as a case may be lodged in this connection anytime. But I can tell that she may not have authentic information about several incidents, including the Savar tragedy,” he added.
He blasted home minister MK Alamgir for his “nonsense” statement about the Savar tragedy and said that the home minister had exposed his true colour through his statement.
The PM had adopted a repressive land policy keeping the countrymen in hardship, he alleged.
“Our Premier should refrain from adopting such policies and pave the path for holding the next general election under the supervision of a non-party caretaker government. Otherwise, she will be forced to do so in the face of an intensive mass movement,” he warned.
Courtesy of The Independent
