Opposition BNP on Saturday alleged that the law enforcers on Saturday attacked the peaceful demonstrations of the 18-party at different parts of the country, leaving over 200 of its leaders and activists injured. “Police swooped on the prescheduled peaceful rallies of the 18-party alliance at different parts of the country and injured over our 200 leaders and activists. They also arrested at least 70 opposition men. We condemn such attacks and arrest,” said BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. Addressing a press briefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, he also alleged that the law enforcers also filed “false” cases against over 1,000 opposition leaders and activists. The BNP-led 18-party alliance staged demonstrations in upazila headquarters and thanas under all districts and cities, including Dhaka, on Saturday protesting the killings and arrests of opposition leaders and activists and repression on them allegedly by the law enforcers and ruling party ‘cadres’ during the opposition’s 60-hour hartal from October 27 to October 29. The programme was also meant for forcing the government to restore the non-party caretaker government system. Rizvi said the government turned the country into a butcher house by using the police for their political gains and letting the law enforcers loose against the opposition leaders and activists. “They (govt) are pushing the country towards anarchy.” He said the government since assuming office has been implementing its hidden agenda of reestablishing one-party rule by annihilating democracy. “Democracy is not safe in the hands of Awami League. They utter about democracy but their destination is one-party rule. They don’t hesitate to gag the different opinions and annihilate their opponents in their journey to one-party rule,” the BNP leader observed. “Vexed at the misrule of the current regime, people have got united under the leadership of 18-party alliance to get rid of it… we’ve taken a vow to ensure the fall of this autocratic regime and ensuring a free and fair election under a non-party government.” He alleged that the foreign masters of the current government are trying to keep it in power against people’s will. “This autocratic and monster government won’t be able to sustain only with the blessings of its masters against the will of 16 crore people.” – UNB
