People see govt's role as unsatisfactory as 'old vested quarter' tries to push country into anarchy: Fakhrul
“Through a planned effort, a vested group wants to destroy the country and create a new version of fascism. They are carrying out the activities openly while the government looks on," he says
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday (19 December) alleged that an "old, well-identified vested quarter" is deliberately trying to destabilise the country and push it towards anarchy, stating that people are dissatisfied with the government's role in handling unrest.
Speaking at a press conference at the BNP chairperson's office in Gulshan, Fakhrul said, "Through a planned effort, a vested group wants to destroy the country and create a new version of fascism. They are carrying out the activities openly while the government looks on."
"Such developments are damaging the image of both the government and the country at home and abroad," he added.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
The press conference followed an emergency meeting of the BNP Standing Committee, which began around 8:45pm and ended at about 10pm.
Referring to the recent unrest triggered by what he described as an "unwanted death," Fakhrul said, "Last night a group of unruly people carried out arson attacks on the offices of several newspapers, including Prothom Alo and The Daily Star, putting the lives of on-duty journalists at serious risk."
The senior BNP leader further said cultural institutions, including Chhayanaut, were also targeted. "We strongly condemn and express our deep disgust over these heinous incidents."
He noted that all political parties have already protested the Inqilab Mancha leader Sharif Osman Bin Hadi killing and are demanding justice, while also mounting pressure on the government to arrest those responsible and bring them to trial.
Fakhrul said the attack appear to be part of a conspiracy to make the upcoming national election and the process of democratic transition uncertain.
He also expressed deep shock and sorrow over the death of Hadi. "We strongly condemn and denounce this cowardly killing."
Calling for unity, Fakhrul said there is no alternative to bringing together all political and social forces opposed to chaos. "Just as unity helped us defeat fascism and secure an interim government and national election, we once again call upon all patriotic forces to unite to resist this conspiracy," he added.
Security of July protesters in extreme uncertainty due to Hadi's murder: Chhatra Dal
The Chhatra Dal has said that due to the killing of Hadi, the security of student, youth, and cultural activists who participated the July Uprising has now fallen into extreme uncertainty.
The killing of Hadi is a horrific example of silencing anti-fascist voices, the organisation's General Secretary Nasir Uddin Nasir said yesterday in a memorandum submitted to the home affairs adviser.
"Ensuring the rule of law and citizen security is a fundamental responsibility of the state," the memorandum noted.
Accusing relevant authorities of not having effective initiative to prevent the murder, Chhatra Dal said that there has been no visible progress in arresting the killers and the masterminds behind it, which has left them deeply concerned.
"This brutal murder is not merely the taking of one person's life; it is a planned attempt to suppress the anti‑fascist movement," the organisation said. "This has dealt a direct blow to the democratic movement and the freedom of expression."
