Hitting out at the Prime Minister for her remarks that opposition leader Khaleda Zia wants more blood
to save war criminals, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said these words do not
suit Sheikh Hasina’s mouth as her hands are stained with the blood of the country’s people.“There’re frequent incidents of bloodletting in the country. Nearly 157 people were killed by police
and this regime in the last two or three weeks. So blood is being shed by this government and Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina. Her hands are now stained with the blood of the country’s people,” he said.
The BNP spokesman also said, “We didn’t forget when Sheikh Hasina said in Chittagong (in 2000) that
I want 10 bodies against one…we didn’t forget she had killed 11 people by setting fire to a bus with
gunpowder… we didn’t forget 40,000 people, including Siraj Shikder, had been killed by the government
led by Sheikh Mujibur Rahman during 1972-75. So, her words against the opposition leader don’t fit her
mouth.”
Fakhrul was addressing a press briefing about the first day of the 18-party opposition-enforced 36-hour
hartal at BNP’s Nayaplatan central office.
Meanwhile, Khaleda Zia, addressing a rally at Charigram Shahdat Ali Khan Government High School at
Singair upazila in Manikganj on Saturday said, “There may be more loss of lives. We might face more
losses, but we’ll have to take to the streets to save the country and its people.”
Bashing Khaleda for her remarks, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said the opposition leader
wants more blood and bodies to save war criminals.
Addressing a public rally at historic Suhrawardy Udyan marking the birth anniversary of Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Hasina also said, “How such words came from her mouth, how she wants the
blood of people and how she says there’ll be more loss of lives.”
Clarifying his party chief’s speech, the BNP leader said Khaleda in her speech only portrayed the real
scenario of the country where blood is being shed by the government without any pause.
Disapproving the premier’s remarks, Fakhrul said the speeches of the Prime Minister’s are always devoid
of political courtesy. “The nation doesn’t expect the language she used today (Monday). The nation,
mainly the young and the new generation, expect their leaders to speak with directions to build a
prosperous country.”
He said the premier and the ruling party leaders in their speeches not only failed to give the nation any
new hope but also badly disheartened them.
Fakhrul also criticised the Prime Minister for her ‘unguarded remarks’ about BNP founder and late
president Ziaur Rahman. “We condemn her remarks. Assuming office in a critical time, Ziaur Rahman
within a short period had united the whole nation and shown them a dream of building a new
Bangladesh.”
He dismissed Hasina’s claim that Khaleda Zia had come to power in 2001 giving an undertaking and
said Khaleda Zia did not give any undertaking. “Rather this government has signed many covert deals
keeping the countrymen in the dark in the last four years. We want to know for what the government
has given transit and allowed to use ports. Why doesn’t the government protest the border killings?
What was the main reason behind the killings of 57 talented army officers at Peelkhana? Why didn’t the
government make probe reports of army on BDR carnage public? People want to have answers to these
questions.”
Fakhrul said his party is on a movement for saving the country and its sovereignty, and restore
democracy in the country.
Mentioning that the nation is passing through a critical juncture, he said a united movement is a must to
save the country from the hands of the current repressive regime and establish people’s rights to vote.
Fakhrul said the hartal was being observed across the country with the spontaneous participation of
people.
He claimed that police arrested over 500 opposition activists across the country during the hartal
hours on Monday, while more than 400 were injured in attacks by law enforcers and ‘ruling party
cadres’. ”Besides, some 2,000 BNP men were implicated in ‘false’ cases.” UNB
