Police given 'arrest business' licence: Rizvi

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has said the people of the country will resist one-sided elections with all their might, pointing to the heavy-handedness of law enforcers in dealing with opposition leaders and activists.

"People have taken to the streets for their rights in our movement. If the elections are not held under a caretaker government, the government will fall. Withdraw the schedule you have announced; postpone elections and resign first. Otherwise, there will be no one-sided election in Bangladesh with this schedule. The people will resist with all their might," said the BNP leader addressing the government, while speaking at a virtual press conference on Saturday (18 November).

The BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami called a 48-hour hartal beginning Sunday to protest the announcement of the schedule for the upcoming national election.

Speaking at the briefing, Rizvi said, "The police are detaining many people [activists] and taking money [from them]. They are assaulting relatives of those they can't find them. Sheikh Hasina has given them an arrest business licence."

He said democratic countries around the world, alongside the United Nations and other human rights organisations have condemned and protested against the numerous arrests of BNP leaders and activists.

"After arresting opposition partymen, the police are taking Tk1 lakh, Tk50,000, Tk30,000 from some [of them]. If they can't pay, they are thrown in jail on false charges. The country's prisons are overflowing with powerful opposition leaders. This is a grave disaster," he alleged. 

"She [prime minister] has created a battlefield scenario by deploying thousands of BGB, police, RAB and intelligence officials, and announced the schedule of a one-sided election with [Chief Election Commissioner] Kazi Habibul Awal to come to power again," he added.

Regarding DB Chief Harun or Rashid's statement that the central leaders of BNP, who now are on remand, confessed their involvement in recent arson attacks and vandalism, Rizvi said, "This is completely false, fabricated and maliciously motivated.

Top BNP leaders confess their involvement in arson attacks: DB chief

"It has been proven beyond doubt that the ruling party men and members of the law and order forces have been involved in all the incidents of sabotage since 28 October," he said.

"We have learned from the lawyers of the arrested BNP leaders that they did not give any such confession in the DB office. I strongly condemn and protest against the blatant lies of the DB chief," he added.

According to the opposition party, over 15,000 BNP-Jamaat leaders and activists have been arrested across the country following a mass rally held by the BNP in the capital on 28 October. 

Some 17 leaders and activists, including a journalist, were reportedly killed in the violence. 

In the last 24 hours 334 party activists have been arrested across the country, said party sources.