Govt has created a reign of terror across Bangladesh: Fakhrul

Staff Correspondent: Blaming the government for mishandling the quota protests due to its obstinacy, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday alleged that the current Awami League government has created a “reign of terror” across Bangladesh.

Talking to reporters after attending a ‘gayebana janaza’ at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque’s north gate for the students killed in the quota reform movement, he also clarified that their party is not directly involved with the students’ agitation, as they have only extended their moral support to it.

“The government has created a reign of terror everywhere, including Dhaka, for the past few days. The government’s terrorist forces have tried to stop the students’ (quota reform) movement by resorting to shooting, terrorism, and repression at Dhaka University and various educational institutions in Dhaka, Chattogram, Bogura, Rangpur, Barishal, and other cities and districts,” Fakhrul said.

The BNP leader deplored that six people (mostly students) were killed in the justified movement.

“You have seen how a student (Abu) Sayed was directly shot dead in Rangpur. We have never seen such a terrible incident in our life. I have to say with extensive sorrow that this regime has been in power through repressive policies, torture, killing, and enforced disappearances,” he said.

Fakhrul said the government could have resolved the problem over the students’ demand for quota reform through discussions with them. “They have committed such killings (of students) only driven by their obstinacy… We express our strong condemnation and outrage over these murders.”

He alleged that police barred opposition leaders and workers from participating in the ‘gayebana janaza’ for the slain students. “We strongly condemn and protest against it.”

Fakhrul denounced the police raid on their party’s central office and claimed that plainclothes police staged a drama in the name of a raid on their central office after planting crude bombs and sticks there. “They did the same drama in the past.”

He said the raid was conducted to divert the student movement in a different direction.

“We would like to say very clearly that students are directly involved in this movement. We are never directly involved in this movement. We gave them moral support… We’ll keep giving that moral support. Because we think that their movement is justified,” the BNP leader said.

In response to questions, he also said Pakistanis during their rule tried to suppress movements through coercive measures but failed to do so. “Similarly, we do not agree with the way they (govt) are trying to suppress it now.”

Fakhrul said it is possible to solve the problem peacefully by keeping Dhaka University and other educational institutions open. “It could have been done by the government if it wanted, but they don’t have that will.”

Earlier, some leaders and activists of BNP and other parties involved in the simultaneous movement joined a ‘gayebana janaza’ at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque for the six slain (mostly students) amid tight security measures and “obstruction” by the police.

The janaza was held at the north gate of the National Mosque after Zuhr prayers.

After the janaza, leaders and workers of BNP clashed with police in front of the National Mosque.