BNP expresses concern over law and order in standing committee meeting

The BNP considers the current law and order situation in the country to be "alarming" ahead of the national parliamentary elections scheduled for next February. 

At the same time, the party is not in favour of banning the Jatiyo Party, though it believes the party's misdeeds should face trial.

These issues were discussed in the meeting of the BNP's highest policy-making forum, the standing committee. The meeting was held on Monday night at the BNP chairperson's office in Gulshan, Dhaka. It began at 8:30pm and ended around 11pm.

After the Election Commission announced the election roadmap, various platforms started raising demands and counter-demands. The BNP views these as conspiracies to delay or derail the election, according to a party source. The leaders stressed the need for everyone to remain vigilant against such conspiracies. 

They also felt that improving law and order is an important responsibility of the government. The BNP expects the government to take swift measures in this regard so that the parliamentary elections can be held on time.

The meeting was chaired virtually from London by BNP's acting chairman Tarique Rahman. Standing committee members Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Barrister Jamiruddin Sircar, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Dr Abdul Moyeen Khan, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salauddin Ahmed, Begum Selima Rahman, Major (Retd) Hafizuddin Ahmed Bir Bikram, and Dr AZM Zahid Hossain were also present.

The source added that the issue of banning the Jatiya Party was also discussed at the standing committee meeting. The BNP is not in favour of banning any political party. 

Just as it has called for accountability for the Awami League's misdeeds and alleged mass killings, the BNP also believes the Jatiya Party's wrongdoings should be tried. This position was conveyed during the last meeting with the Chief Adviser on Sunday.

Attack on Nur carried out with intent to kill: Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said Gono Odhikar Parishad President Nurul Haque Nur was attacked with the clear intent to kill, regardless of who carried out the assault.

Speaking to journalists after visiting Nur at Dhaka Medical College Hospital yesterday, Fakhrul said, "What hurt me the most is that whoever attacked him, the intention was to kill Nurul Haque Nur. That is very clear."