Collecting evidence of 'oppression' a new BNP strategy to fight opponents

The BNP has started collecting evidence of "oppression" on its leaders and activists, be it in the form of false lawsuits or physical attacks, which are said to have occurred over the past years across the country as the party believes that such a database can help fight its opponents.

To this end, the opposition party has recently formed a new cell, insiders told The Business Standard, which will be collecting photos, videos, and other documents related to attacks and tortures on the BNP and anti-government activists. BNP district-level units have been sent a letter seeking cooperation with the cell.

They added that the collected evidence will be used in need and presented to international communities to show the realities of democracy in the country.

"Many BNP leaders and activists have been harassed with false and baseless cases from time to time. We are collecting information about those cases and the people behind the oppression. The information will be used when necessary," Khandkar Mosharraf Hossain, a member of the party's standing committee, told TBS.

BNP Organizing Secretary Syed Emran Saleh Prince added, "We have been asked to preserve videos and pictures of all the attacks on the BNP and other opposition party people. People directly or indirectly involved in those attacks will also be found out."

According to the party, some 1.5 lakh lawsuits were filed during 2009 to 2022 against BNP men, where 36 lakh were made defendants and 20,000 were detained. Besides, some 600 went missing and over 1,000 were killed, the opposition party claims.

Talking to TBS, several district-level BNP leaders said that they have received the letter and started working accordingly. The leaders and workers of the ruling party, the law enforcement personnel, and people from the administration, whoever are involved in attacking and torturing the BNP men are being documented in detail along with the evidence, they said and added that their collected information will be sent to the new cell immediately.

The letter signed by BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, a copy of which The Business Standard obtained, also sought names and identity of police officials who helped file false cases against BNP men.

Meanwhile, the United States has recently decided to deny visas to individuals who are believed to be responsible for or complicit in subverting the democratic election process in Bangladesh.

The wide range of people under the purview of the new policy includes current and former Bangladeshi officials, members of pro-government and opposition political parties, and members of law enforcement, the judiciary, and security services, as per an official US release.

BNP leaders said the latest party initiative can help clarify their position to the US and other international communities, and put people in power at different levels under pressure for the sake of democracy.