Freedom fighter and senior Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Fazlur Rahman on Monday expressed fear for his and his family鈥檚 safety after a group of youths had gathered in front of his Segunbagicha home in Dhaka and chanted slogans against him.
Fazlur Rahman, flanked by his wife and a son, made the allegation at a press briefing at the office of the Law Reporters Forum on Supreme Court premises.
The freedom fighter held the press briefing after a group of people under the banner of 鈥楽adharan Chhatra-Chhatri鈥� staged a sit-in in front of his Segunbagicha home on Monday, demanding his expulsion from the party and arrest over what they claimed 鈥榙erogatory and misleading remarks鈥� about the July Uprising.
The protest was held a day after the BNP issued a show-cause notice to Fazlur Rahman over his alleged 鈥榦ffensive comments鈥� on the July Uprising.
鈥楾hey kept shouting 鈥楢rrest Fazu Pagla鈥� since morning. The term 鈥楩azu Pagla鈥� was first used by anti-liberation group Jamaat-e-Islami. Now these children are repeating it. Why are they targeting me?鈥� Fazlur Rahman said in the press briefing.
Fazlur Rahman, also an adviser to the BNP chairperson, said that his party issued a show-cause notice against him on Sunday and that he would respond to the notice in due time.
He said that such public gatherings had been taking place in many places since August 5, 2024, the date of the ouster of the Awami League regime amid a mass uprising.
Fazlur wanted to know why he was being publicly threatened for expressing his views.
鈥業f someone disagrees with my statements about Jamaat-e-Islami or others, they should respond politically or through legal means, not by inciting a mob or threatening to kill me,鈥� he said.
He emphasised that, as a freedom fighter, lawyer, politician, and former lawmaker, he had the constitutional right to express his thoughts freely and live safely in the country.
鈥業 fought for this country鈥檚 freedom. Why should I fear expressing my opinion now?,鈥� he asked.
He said that he had made speeches against the anti-liberation force Jamaat, and his speech against them would continue.
The United News of Bangladesh quoted Ramna police station officer-in-charge Golam Faruk as saying that the members of law enforcement agencies were deployed in the area to prevent any further untoward incident.
