Fakhrul warns against conspiracy to undermine ‘newly-acquired independence’

Staff Correspondent: BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday expressed concern that some local and international media outlets are misrepresenting political incidents in Bangladesh as communal attacks as part of a plot.

Speaking at a press conference at the BNP Chairperson’s office in Gulshan, he also announced that their party will send letters to the United Nations and the Chief Adviser of the interim government, requesting a neutral investigation into what he described as ‘genocide’ committed during recent student and public protests.

“We are deeply concerned that misleading news about the current situation in Bangladesh is being presented in the mass media at home and abroad. The reports present various attacks on minority communities and the deterioration of the law and order situation…we think these things are not right at all. There are problems in some places which are not communal, but political,” Fakhrul said.

He also said the media are trying to run this type of report involving BNP with these incidents.

“We strongly condemn it. At the same time, we would like to say that BNP is not involved in this kind of incident in any way and no normal and healthy political party or individual of Bangladesh can be involved. It’s a conspiracy to destroy the newly acquired independence of Bangladesh,” the BNP leader observed.

Before the victory of the movement, he said the deposed Awami League government carried out a brutal massacre by its forces. “We have decided to send a letter to the United Nations seeking an impartial investigation into the matter.”

Fakhrul said they also decided to write to the interim government’s Chief Adviser in this regard.

At the same time, he said about 50 Bangladeshi migrant workers were jailed in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for supporting the student-led movement. “We’ll also write to this government to take initiative for their release.”

The BNP Secretary General said the letters will be sent within a couple of days.

He thanked the Dr Yunus-led interim government for starting their work with sincerity. “The activities that the interim government has started first undoubtedly gave the entire nation hope. As you know, six judges of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court have already resigned.”

About the resignation of the Chief Justice and five other justices, “We think this is good news for democracy. We believe that the situation that has arisen in the judiciary will now be resolved to a large extent.”