BNP leaders, activists break into Nayapaltan office after 75 days
The party leaders and activists broke the lock that was hung at the gate of the office
Exactly two months and 15 days later, the leaders and activists of BNP entered the party's Nayapaltan office in the capital on Thursday morning after breaking the lock of the office building.
The office had been kept under lock and key since 28 October allegedly by the police after a rally of the party turned violent, leaving a policemen dead and injuring many others.
Led by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, the party members entered the office around 10:42am on Thursday, a press release issued by the party confirmed.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Party activists were seen chanting anti-government slogans at the time.
The decision for breaking into the office came after the party announced on Tuesday to hold a press conference at the Nayapaltan headquarters at 3pm on Thursday with Standing Committee members Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan and Selima Rahman addressing the press.
During a brief interaction with the media last morning, Rizvi said, "After foiling BNP's peaceful rally on 28 October, the police vandalised our central office before sealing off it. For more than two months, the police did not let anyone enter the office. Even, individuals approaching the establishment were detained."
"The police sealed off our office on 28 October after unleashing a crackdown on us," he said, alleging that the law enforcers did not give them the office key even after repeated requests.
In response to a question about breaking the lock, Rizvi said they were forced to break into the office as the police declined to provide the key.
BNP's press conference
At a press conference in the afternoon, Standing Committee Member Moyeen Khan alleged that the results of the 12th general election were decided in a 'high-level table' meeting in Dhaka.
Expressing concern over the state of democracy in Bangladesh, he said "Bangladesh's democracy is currently in dire straits."
"Millions sacrificed their blood for our democracy, not for this current situation. But the government believes in one party rule," he went on saying.
The BNP leader further said the people of this country rejected the government by boycotting the elections held on 7 January.
Both local and international media reported that the election was marred by irregularities and it was not conducted in a fair manner, he claimed.
