Arrest building owner, Murad Jong in 24 hrs: BNP

Accusing the Prime Minister of helping Rana Plaza owner to escape by defending him in Parliament, opposition BNP on Tuesday demanded the arrest of Sohel Rana and ruling party MP Murad Jong within 24 hours over the Savar tragedy.“Rana wouldn’t have been able to run away had the Prime Minister not defended him in parliament and cooked up a story about him. Now the government is trying to fool people by arresting his relatives,” said BNP senior leader Khandaker Mosharraf.

Addressing a rally in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, the BNP leader also alleged that the government is trying to shift the blame on the opposition for the Savar building collapse only to hush up its wrongdoing in this regard as other incidents in the past.

As part of its countrywide demonstration, the BNP-led 18-party alliance arranged the rally to press home its various demands, including the restoration of the caretaker government system and the release of top BNP leaders.

“The government had earlier taken the same strategy of blaming opposition to cover up its various misdeeds. You (govt) won’t be able to make any gain by shifting blame on others. People didn’t forget your misdeeds like the BDR mutiny, share market, Hall-Mark and destiny scams and Padma Bridge graft.

Mosharraf, also a BNP standing committee member, questioned who forced the garment workers to join their works though the building had been declared abandoned earlier.

He alleged that the ruling party men compelled the workers to work in the dilapidated building in order to resist the hartal enforced by the BNP-led 18-party alliance on the day.

Mosharraf also demanded action against those pushed the workers towards death by forcing them to enter the abandoned building.

The former minister alleged the government did not pay heed to the previous warning over the Rana Plaza that led to the catastrophe.

“Such disasters might happen in the political arena if the government doesn’t concede to the opposition’s demand for restoration of the caretaker system. The government will have to shoulder the responsibility if it happens only for its stubborn notion,” the BNP leader told the rally.

Addressing the rally, another BNP standing committee member Moudud Ahmed asked the government to capture Rana Murad Jong, MP, Rajuk and local administration officials concerned within 24 hours or quit taking the responsibility for their failures.

He alleged that the government did not take any action against those involved in corruption in various sectors since it has assumed office and it has rather patronised the corrupt.

Referring to the blanket arrests of opposition leaders and activists, Moudud said the government has pursued one agenda over the last four and a half years — to subdue the opposition.

Calling upon the government to restore the caretaker government to resolve the ongoing political crisis, the BNP leader said, “Still, there’s time to restore the caretaker system or else people will force you to do it which will be disgraceful for you.”

Chaired by BNP’s Dhaka city unit convener the rally was addressed, among others, by BNP vice chairman Shah Moazzem Hossain, Selima Rahman, BNP leaders Shamsuzzaman Dudu, Barkatullah Bulu, Fazlul Haque Milon and senior leaders of the 18-party.UNB

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