Banning BCL not enough, illegal arms holders must face justice: BNP leader Selima

Merely banning the Chhatra League is not sufficient, as leaders and activists with illegal arms must also be brought to justice to maintain law and order, BNP Standing Committee member Begum Selima Rahman said today (24 October).

Speaking at a discussion meeting in the capital, she also urged students seeking the president's removal to make a prudent decision on the matter through discussions with political parties, warning that creating a new political crisis will make it difficult to restore stability in the country.

"Is it enough to simply ban the Chhatra League? They possess various sharp weapons, guns, pistols and other illegal arms that can be used to attack people and create chaos. So, they must be brought to justice with an iron fist," the BNP leader said.

She also said the most important step is to bring Sheikh Hasina under the law and try her for various misdeeds and repressive acts.

The BNP leader alleged that Hasina attempted to kill her archrival Khaleda Zia through slow poisoning after jailing her on false charges. "Khaleda Zia is alive but suffers from serious illnesses... We're trying to send her abroad for treatment, but her physical condition is still not suitable for that."

Selima Rahman urged the interim government to withdraw all cases against Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman through an executive order.

The Jatiyatabadi Ganatantrik Party organised the programme at the Dhaka Reporters' Unity (DRU) demanding the withdrawal of all false cases filed against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman.

Selima lauded the role of the leaders of the student-led movement in freeing the country from the grasp of fascist and autocratic ruler Sheikh Hasina.

"But you must remember that the country can't be destabilised by creating any kind of political crisis. If your goal is to make sure everyone get their rights back, then you should move forward with consultations and discussions with the leaders and professionals of all political parties on any crucial issue," she said.

The BNP leader emphasised that the role of political parties is vital for ensuring true good governance. "All must work together; otherwise, the defeated forces will take advantage of the crisis."

She said the nation gained freedom following the student-led movement, but now they are not at ease.

"We are indeed going through a critical phase. Common people are not receiving relief. Rising commodity prices and various office siege programmes for different demands are causing distress, while the cohorts of the fallen dictator are trying to destabilise the country in a planned way so that the government cannot manage the country well and cannot ensure a fair election."

Stating that the deposed autocratic government has created the ongoing crisis, Selima noted that the current government is working to overcome it. "But the associates of the fallen regime remain in many important positions, and they're trying to create an unstable situation."

The BNP standing committee member also said the defeated forces are causing various problems, including rising prices of daily necessities and disturbances in industries. "Their market syndicate must be dismantled."

She said the dream of the student movement was to restore all the democratic and basic rights of people, as they could not vote in the three national elections.

"Those who are with the interim government are good and decent. They are working for the country, and we're cooperating with them. However, they need to understand that the most urgent matters must be addressed first. Not all reforms are feasible at once. If a political party is elected by the people's vote, they can govern the country effectively," Selima observed.