Criticising the Prime Minister for her call to form countrywide ‘Terrorism Prevention Committees’, senior BNP leader Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain on Sunday said the intention for forming such bodies is to suppress the opposition.
“Having failed to maintain the law and order, the government has announced to form terrorism prevention committees at every locality, upazila and zila in the name of containing terrorism. Their (government’s) aim is to subdue the opposition instead of curbing terrorism,” he told a discussion.
Issuing a note of warning, Mosharraf, also a BNP standing committee member, said, “We’re also going to form Committees for Public Safety for our self-protection. The government will be held responsible if it leads to violence.”
Earlier, on Wednesday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in Parliament called upon people, irrespective of their party affiliation, religion, class and profession, to form ‘Terrorism Prevention Committee’ in every ward, union, upazila and district to \resist the anti-state activities of Jamaat-Shibir patronised by BNP.’
Apparently in a counter move, the BNP-led 18-party opposition alliance on Saturday announced to form ‘committees for public safety’ across the country within three days to resist what it said the government’s ‘fascist acts and the killing of people by police and the ruling party men’.
Addressing the discussion, Mosharraf alleged that the government is trying to create anarchy and violence in the country in a planned way to impose emergency rule.
Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal arranged the discussion at the National Press Club marking the 6th Incarceration Day BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman.
Tarique was arrested in March 7, 2007 by joint force after the 1/11 changeover and filed a number of cases against him on graft charges.
The law enforcers reportedly tortured Tarique in custody causing serious injuries to his spinal cord. Later, he went to London on bail for treatment in November 2007 and has been living there since then.
Mentioning that those killed Ziaur Rahman again hatching plots to annihilate the nationalist forces, the BNP leader said the army-backed regime in 2007 had tortured Tarique Rahman with an aim to kill him.
He urged the party leaders and activists to spontaneously participate in the 18-party’s one-point oust-government movement to save the country from anarchy and misrule. UNB
