Fakhrul fears false flag operation by govt

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday expressed fear that the government might carry out "terrible incidents" in the country as part of its move to eliminate the opposition and hold a unilateral election.

"I want to tell you [journalists] about my apprehension. It needs to be said… the nation should know about it. This regime is now planning to do something terrible in the country to eliminate opposition parties completely. As they have done in the past, they are now moving forward with the goal of how to hold that type of election again," Fakhrul said, while speaking at a press conference at BNP's Nayapaltan central office.

He alleged that the government has started arresting BNP leaders and activists to remove BNP and opposition parties from the field ahead of the next election.

The BNP leader said many leaders and activists of the BNP and its associate bodies have already been arrested across the country.

Fakhrul said the ruling party cadres attacked BNP's office in Habiganj on Sunday and the house of local leader and former Habiganj municipality mayor GK Gaus, leaving over 200 opposition leaders and activists injured.

Earlier on Saturday, he said police attacked BNP leaders and activists and fired around 300 rounds of bullets in the same district as the party leaders and workers tried to stage a march demanding party chairperson Khaleda Zia's treatment abroad that left a huge number of opposition followers injured.

He said police also attacked BNP's march programme in some other districts, including in Narayanganj on Saturday.

The BNP leader said police also created a scary situation in front of BNP's Nayapaltan central office on Friday night.

Fakhrul said the law enforcers earlier in the past exploded crude bombs while BNP's big rally was being held at Nayapaltan and then foiled it by attacking BNP leaders and activists firing bullets, lobbing teargas shells and using sound grenades.

He alleged that the law enforcers have started again hatching plots against BNP by claiming that they arrested six Chhatra Dal leaders with arms. "These were very old weapons kept by them (police) and they put those in the hands of Chhatra Dal leaders and took photos."

He said the law enforcers are trying to create chaos through such activities with the objective to malign the BNP.