BNP demands trial of all killings happened during quota movement

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday (July 25) alleged that leaders and workers of the opposition political parties including the BNP were being arrested constantly over the last couple of days.

Strongly protesting and condemning the arrest, he issued a statement on Thursday.

In his statement, Mirza Fakhrul has demanded to bring those before justice who were involved in killings during the quota reform movement.

At the same time, he demanded of the government providing appropriate amount of compensation to the families of those who were killed.
Mirza Fakhrul said: “Hundreds of young and innocent students were shot to death which was witnessed by the countrymen. We demand exemplary punishment of those who were involved in the killings.

He alleged that the government has resorted to wholesale arrest of the leaders and workers of opposition parties including the BNP across the country indiscriminately. In sequel to it, police have arrested BNP central executive committee’s health affairs secretary Dr Rafiqul Islam, executive committee member Tarikul Islam Tenjing, and BNP vice-chairman Barkat Ullah Bulu’s son Saniyat. They also picked up Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) chairman and former MP Barrister Andaleev Rahman Partho from his residence in the capital.

The BNP Secretary General mentioned that both the government and several members of law enforcing agencies were blaming the BNP and opposition leaders and workers bringing false allegations of playing role in the movement. “If so, why they were not arrested from the places of occurrence? It’s the question of people. It proves that none of the BNP or the opposition parties was involved in quota reform movement.

Mirza Fakhrul said people want an international inquiry over the entire incident and killings. Besides, they think that the government must resign as soon as possible shouldering the responsibility of failure.

He also expressed his profound shock at the death of police and Ansar personnel during the recent movement and prayed for peace of the departed souls.

At the same time, he demanded withdrawal of politically motivated cases filed against the arrested persons who did not commit any crime. Besides, he called upon the government to release them as soon as possible.