BNP Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir alleged on Tuesday that Awami League General Secretary and LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam is making ‘misleading statements’ on the BNP’s stand on the war crimes trial.His remarks came in response to Ashraf’s allegation that the BNP was trying to derail the war crimes trial.
“We have said time and again that we want the war crimes trial. The BNP as a party wants the trial of all those who committed crimes against humanity. But we want the trial to be impartial, transparent, free of political vendetta and in keeping with the international standards,” Fakhrul told journalists after offering flowers on the grave of BNP founder Ziaur Rahman.
“The problem is that the war crimes trial has been questioned in the country and abroad. The Awami League government in the 1970s had let these war criminals go off without punishment. Now Ashraful is spreading lies to cover up the failures of his government,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Syed Ashraful Islam had said that “the Jamaat-e-Islami is using the BNP’s strength to derail the war crimes trial”.
He blamed BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia for trying to ‘sabotage’ the trial.
Fakhrul also refuted the Awami League charge that Khaleda Zia tried to provoke military intervention during her recent visit to Bogra.
“Khaleda Zia merely praised the army’s role in protecting the people and their properties during the recent violence in Shahjahanpur on March 3. She said nothing about provoking a military intervention. So Ashraful and Home Minister MK Alamgir are just spreading lies,” he said.
Pointing to the BNP Chairperson, Syed Ashraful Islam had said, “A few days ago in Bogra, she (Khaleda Zia) asked the Armed Forces to interfere in the politics and administration of Bangladesh. This is unprecedented in any democratic country.”
Anywhere else, Khaleda Zia would have had to face sedition charges, the LGRD Minister said.
Mirza Fakhrul on Tuesday told reporters that his party’s main challenge was to restore democracy and the ongoing crisis. “The democracy is nearly lost. The country’s existence is threatened.”
He blamed the present Awami League government for the present crisis. “The situation can only be resolved by establishing a non-party government to conduct elections. I hope the government will come to its senses.”
“We want to make it clear that our movement for a non-party government cannot be thwarted by filing cases. There won’t be any elections without a non-partisan government system,” he added.
Earlier in the day, top BNP leaders placed wreaths at the National Memorial, with Khaleda Zia leading them.
Then they placed wreaths on late President Ziaur Rahman’s mazar at the capital’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.
(Source: bdnews24.com)
