AL retains power by killing people: Mirza Abbas 

The Awami League (AL) retains power by killing people, BNP Standing Committee member Mirza Abbas has alleged.

"The AL is using state apparatus to kill the taxpayers," the BNP leader said during a financial grant giving programme organised by BNP for the families of two deceased Jubo Dal leaders- Shamim Mollah from Mugdha Thana Unit and Abdur Rashid from Adabar Thana Unit. 

Shamim Mollah was killed during the BNP's 28 October rally while Abdur Rashid died on 29 October.

The grant-giving programme on behalf of BNP Acting Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman was held at party Nayapaltan Central office on Tuesday.

Mirza Abbas said, "About 15,000 leaders and activists of BNP had been killed by AL, making a lot of children orphans and families helpless.

"AL destroyed BNP's 28 October grand rally as part of their plan which included local and international conspiracy groups so that BNP could not participate in the parliament polls."

"The AL started arresting BNP leaders and activists 18 months before the 28 October mass rally," he said.

"They were even continuously threatening our senior leaders showing fear about jail before the 28 October programme," he alleged.

Mirza Abbas said the people of the country had responded to Tareque Rahman's urges by boycotting the 7 January election.

"Before the 7 January election, Tarique Rahman requested people to refrain from casting their vote for AL," he added.

The BNP standing committee member said, "It is not new for AL to kill people. During the 1974-1975 period, the AL government had killed about 24-25 thousand people."