Govt trying to unleash violence to blame BNP: Fakhrul

Voicing concerns over crude bomb explosions in the capital ahead of the party's public rally slated for 12 July, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has alleged that the government is trying to unleash violence in the country to blame the opposition party.

"They [government] are trying yet again to push the entire country and the nation towards violence deliberately through provocations," he said.

Speaking at a training programme for the female leaders and workers of the BNP, Fakhrul said some media outlets reported crude bomb explosions in the city's Moghbazar area on Monday night. 

He added, "It is a very deliberate and conspiratorial move by those who want to destroy democracy in Bangladesh, and to malign and blame the opposition parties."

He alleged that the government carried out the incident through its various agencies to give the impression that the BNP was behind it.

The BNP leader said his party announced holding a peaceful public rally in the capital on Wednesday as they did in the past. "But they [AL] have announced a so-called counter programme, 'peace rally' and 'peace march', pushing the country towards conflict."

He warned that the government will have to shoulder all responsibilities for taking the country towards violence with its provocative acts and programmes.

Fakhrul called upon the government to back off from these terrible efforts to destabilise the country and work for creating a democratic state system by accepting the opposition's demand for acceptable national elections under a neutral government.

The BNP's 'Training Cell' arranged the day-long training workshop for women representatives of the party in collaboration with United States-based 'Democracy International (DI)' at the chairperson's office in Gulshan.

Fakhrul said the government recently said they do not obstruct the political parties from doing their political activities, adding, "It's a complete lie and fraudulence."

"Awami League has a characteristic problem that they do not believe in democracy. They choose dictatorship and feudalism. They have a mindset that there's no one else in the country except them and they're the only owners of the country," he said.

The BNP leader said it is unfortunate for the nation that there is no democracy in the country as such a space for the political parties has been destroyed.

He questioned whether there is any democratic party in the world, except the BNP, whose four million leaders and workers are facing false political cases and the party chief has been convicted on false charges and all the senior leaders of the party are facing false cases.

Citing a newspaper report, Fakhrul alleged that the government is trying to speed up the trial in cases filed against him and his party chief Khaleda Zia. 

"They've instructed the police authorities and even the Law Ministry issued a letter to the judges to speed up the trial and dispose of the cases [against opposition leaders and activists]…the rulers are doing this as they don't believe in democracy. They want to hang onto power and they don't respect or count on other political parties."

Fakhrul said the BNP has been carrying out a movement for the restoration of democracy in a democratic manner as the government held two elections by deceiving people.

"Competitive elections are the key elements to uphold the democratic practice…but the rulers in this country talk about democracy, but they never practice it," he said.

The BNP leader said there are now many discussions about the frequent trips of delegations from different countries to Bangladesh.

"An American delegation is coming today while a team from the EU has already arrived here to learn about human rights, democracy and elections here. Why do they come to Bangladesh? Because there's no democracy here and there are no [credible] elections and elections are not held [fairly] here," Fakhrul observed.

He said a level-playing field having equal opportunity for all political parties is necessary for a good election, but it is not possible to ensure that when the government tries to suppress opposition leaders and activists by arresting, jailing, killing, and implicating them in false cases.