Dhaka – Awami League Dr Hasan Mahmud on Monday alleged that Jamaat-Shibir men were behind the movement on the Rajshahi University campus under the banner of general students.
“We came to know that Jamaat–Shibir men were involved in the movement under the banner of general students,” said Hasan, the publicity and publication secretary of the ruling party.He came up with the allegation while addressing a press conference at Awami League President Sheikh Hasina’s Dhanmondi political office.
In reply to a question what is the position of Awami League over BCL attacks on general students at the university, the former minister said, “Chhatra League is not our associate body rather it’s a brotherly organisation of Awami League, but we don’t support any violence.”
Hasan Mahmud further said, “Infiltrators take the chance when a party is in power. Awami League always advises Chhatra League to keep vigil so that the intruders can’t create such incidents.”
On Sunday, BCL men swooped on the general students while they were agitating on the Rajshahi University campus in protest against fee hike and continuation of evening master’s programmes. Later, the Rajshahi University authority closed it for an unidentified period.
Citing a survey report of Democracy International, the Awami League leader said the report made it clear that BNP did not take part in the January 5 polls sensing its defeat.
“Democracy International is a neutral agency. They also work on US elections. Their survey is a very credible one,” he added.
The ruling party leader observed that the BNP should have participated in the polls with a view to strengthening country’s democracy.
The Democracy International released the report on Sunday saying that had the election been fully participatory, 42.7 percent would have voted for Awami League while 35.1pc for BNP.
About the BNP’s allegation that the government is engaged in extrajudicial killing, Hasan Mahmud said, “Those who carried out petrol bombs attacks have no right to say in this regard.”
Awami League leaders Abdus Sobhan Golap, Sujit Roy Nandi and Afzal Hossain were, among others, present at the press conference. – UNB
