The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party on Thursday strongly condemned and protested at the prime minister鈥檚 statement that attempts were being made to arrest the fugitive accused, including acting BNP chairman Tarique Rahman, in the August 21 grenade attack case.
In a statement, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, 鈥業 think the threat to arrest Tarique Rahman, the main leader of the ongoing democratic movement, is a declaration of war against the democratic people.鈥�
He said that the Awami聽 League had been carrying out propaganda against Tarique Rahman in a well-planned manner for a long time. And that is why he has been implicated in the August 21 case.
鈥楾he absence of the rule of law in Bangladesh has made it impossible for civilised gentlemen to survive in society with dignity and self-respect.
Keeping selfishness, arrogance, intolerance, and grand corruption behind the curtain, the government is now exposing Tarique Rahman,鈥� he said.
Fakhrul said that the Awami government, which has failed from all sides, wants to prolong the shadow of political conflict for evil purposes.
鈥業f there was good governance and justice, looters, money launderers, and debtors close to power would have been punished by the law. But they are the ones who are going strong today,鈥� he said.
Fakhrul added that the 鈥榙ummy鈥� government brutally suppressed democratic leaders and activists with an oppressive and tyrannical administration and legal department.
When the tainted corruption of those close to the government comes to light and news of novel corruption of big officials associated with power in the corruption epidemic goes viral, the threat of arresting Tarique Rahman appears as a deep conspiracy, he said.
鈥楽ome leaders of the BNP, including Tarique Rahman, have been implicated in the August 21 bombing case for political reasons. This is a well-planned conspiracy to destroy the image of Tarique Rahman,鈥� he said.
He added that after the current Awami League assumed power in 2009 to weaken the nationalist leadership and endanger democracy, Tarique Rahman鈥檚 name was included in the charge sheet by appointing a retired officer of their ideology as the investigating officer.
Even though Tarique Rahman鈥檚 name was not included in the two rounds of investigations and charge sheets, including during the government of 1/11 and the harvest of their own movement before the Awami League came to power, the allegation of his involvement is completely an expression of the extreme anger of the dummy Awami government,鈥� he said.
He said that Tarique Rahman鈥檚 name had been included by influencing the judicial department in numerous false cases to bring disturbed state sovereignty and civil liberties to the present state.
On Wednesday, during question and answer at Jatiya Sangsad, PM Hasina said that the move is on to arrest 15 fugitive accused, including Tarique, in the August 21, 2004 grenade attack case.
