Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its three affiliated bodies — Jatiyatabadi Juba Dal, Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal, and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal — on Saturday accused the government of deliberately paralysing the police administration to fuel instability across the country as a pretext for delaying the national election.
Referring to murder of trader in front of Mitford Hospital in Old Dhaka, acting BNP chairperson Tarique Rahman at a discussion alleged that the main accused of the murder was brought in from outside the area and although several others had been arrested, the main suspect remained at large.
The three BNP-affiliated bodies made the allegation at a joint press conference held on the country’s current law and order at the BNP central office at Naya Paltan in the capital.
Tarique claimed that the scrap metal dealer, Mohammad Sohag, who was beaten to death on Wednesday, was involved in Juba Dal and asked why the individuals who committed the killing had not been made accused or arrested.
‘From our side, it has never been said that so-and-so should or should not be arrested. We have always said that the wrongdoer should be judged according to the law. His connection with the party does not matter at all, and the party will not provide him any shelter,’ Tarique said.
On behalf of the three organisations, Juba Dal president M Monayem Munna questioned why the three main accused in the daylight murder near Mitford Hospital were mysteriously excluded from the first information report.
Although the incident was captured in video, the key suspects are yet to be arrested, he claimed.
Mohammad Sohag, a scrap metal dealer, was brutally beaten to death in front of Mitford Hospital in Old Dhaka on Wednesday, with video clips of the incident widely circulating on social media.
By Friday, police arrested four suspects while later that night five members of the BNP’s youth, volunteer, and student wings were expelled for life from their respective organisations.
The expelled five are former Juba Dal central committee assistant secretary for climate affairs Razzab Ali Pintu, Dhaka South unit Juba Dal joint convener Sabah Karim Laki, Chhatra Dal Chawkbazar Thana unit member secretary Apu Das, Chhatra Dal member Mahmudul Hassan Mahin, and Swechchhasebak Dal member Kalu-- also known as Swechchhasebak Kalu.
Munna said that the victim’s daughter had told the media that police intentionally left the three main culprits out of the FIR and included in that three innocent people instead.
He went on to say that while more than 60 hours had passed since the incident the key accused had not been arrested yet despite clear evidence being there, which raised serious questions and suspicions.
Munna said that they had expelled the five accused for life and urged law enforcers to arrest them, adding that all necessary organisational steps had been taken to ensure accountability.
Administrative failures have, he alleged, led to a breakdown in the law and order, adding that an opportunist group was exploiting the situation for political gains by going for selective protests and spreading provocative and vulgar campaigns against the BNP and its affiliates.
He further said that the BNP had repeatedly urged the government to arrest the perpetrators, but the authorities had failed to act.
Munna described the situation as a deliberate attempt to keep the administration inactive and maintain disorder to justify delays in the national election.
He also alleged that a group opposing a democratic transition in the country wanted to create more anarchy in the country, blaming that part of the government had become inactive in controlling crimes in support of their malicious plan.
Recalling how the Arab Spring began in Tunisia but peace and stability have eluded the country for 15 years despite Ben Ali’s fall, Munna cautioned that some groups in Bangladesh were similarly aiming to keep unrest to further their own agendas. He urged people to be aware of their intentions.
Swechchhasebak Dal president S M Zilani, general secretary Rajib Ahsan, Juba Dal general secretary Nurul Islam Nayan, senior vice-president Rezaul Karim Pol, Chhatra Dal president Rakibul Islam Rakib and general secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir were present at the press conference.
