BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Friday alleged that opposition leaders and activists are being made disappeared to stop the criticisms of the government for its 'misdeeds'.
"The government has been in power for the last decade by introducing a culture of enforced disappearance. Since they’ve now become isolated from people, they’re torturing people by continuing the culture of enforced disappearance, spreading fear and establishing a reign of terror,” he said, reports UNB.
Speaking at a virtual press conference, the BNP leader said, “The government’s main motive behind this is to stop the criticisms of its misdeeds. The government is spreading panic among its dissidents and making them disappeared. This’s now happening here, denting Bangladesh’s image seriously.”
Fakhrul alleged that their party’s five leaders--Leon Haque, Mamun Parvez Tanmoy, Towhidul Islam Hasib, Ferdous Majumder Masum and Selim Mia--remained missing since they were picked up by 'plainclothes policemen' from different places recently.
He said police have been denying reports of detaining the BNP leaders and saying that they do not have any information about the missing BNP men. “The families of those who have gone missing are very anxious and we’re also worried about it."
The BNP leader said it is the full responsibility of the government to trace out if anyone goes missing. “It’s unimaginable that the plainclothes police are picking up the people who come out of the High Court after securing bail.”
Fakhrul said it is now the reality that the government has become not only isolated from people but also politically bankrupt. “They (govt) have politicised all the state institutions only to cling to power. I call upon the government to immediately find out our missing leaders and activists.”
He also demanded the government release those who have been arrested on ‘false’ charges and withdraw the ‘false’ cases filed against them.
The BNP leader alleged that the 'government’s agents torched several vehicles' in the city on November 12 last as part of their old game to eliminate BNP from politics and thus cement the one-party rule.