BNP Standing Committe member Tariqul Islam on Monday has alleged that the government was behind the killing of the BNP leader Rafiqul Islam Majumder.
The senior BNP leader was speaking to journalists at headquarter premises in Naya Paltan before the Namaj-e-Janaza of the deceased Rafiqul. “We believe RAB and police are involved in it… it was planned.”
Police recovered the ‘handcuffed’ body of Rafiqul, 45, from Kumarkhali’s Adabari-Moneharpur field on Saturday night. Majumder was BNP’s Dhaka Ward-15 Secretary and the Vice President of Bangabazar Market Committee.
Rafiqul’s mother-in-law alleged that he was picked up by around eight men dressed in uniforms of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) when he was visiting them. She said she was kicked aside when she tried to stop them.
RAB authorities in Jhenaidah and Kushtia rejected such allegations. Police regarding handcuffs with ‘police’ markings were available in the market.
Rafiqul’s body was brought near BNP headquarter around 11:00am in the morning.
Senior party leaders gathered for the last prayers of the ‘killed’ activist. His body was later taken to his village in Saharasti’s Chandipur of Chandpur.
Tariqul Islam said that the killing of Rafique proved the level of insecurity in Bangladesh. He claimed that 157 opposition activists have ‘disappeared’ in the four years of ruling Awami League. “This shows how critical strain the human rights situation is .”
The senior BNP leader blamed the RAB and police for the murder. “If they are innocent, why don’t they find out who is behind the killing?”
Another senior BNP leader and Standing Committee member MK Anwar said it was now the government’s duty to conduct a fair probe into the ‘killing’.
Metropolitan BNP Vice President Sadek Hossian Khoka called on RAB and police not to follow “such orders of the government” as it was the people they are pledged to serve. “This government is not eternal… when they come down then a fair probe will be conducted… no culprits will be spared.” (bdnews24.com)
