report on The Daily Star online, July 29, 2023 at 09.52 pm
The BNP will hold rallies in districts and cities across the country on July 31 protesting the “attacks” by police and ruling Awami League men on BNP’s sit-in programme.
“We planned to hold the programme tomorrow, Sunday. However, the Awami League has already declared its programme on that day. Therefore, we are now announcing our programme for Monday. We decided not to create a crisis by holding the programme on the same day,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Addressing a press conference at BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office, he condemned the violent attacks on BNP’s sit-in programme that left two senior leaders, and many activists and leaders injured.
“They [AL activists] set fire to buses in front of the police. Now they are trying to blame the BNP for their own crimes.”
He said it was because of the US visa policy that food was served to BNP leader Goyeshwar Chandra at the DB office, and fruits were sent to another BNP leader Amanullah Aman at the hospital.
“They did this to look innocent… They arrested many of our leaders in the past, but they didn’t do anything like this back then. Now they are doing this to avoid getting a visa restriction.”
He then added that BNP programmes were peaceful. “Whenever we call for fair elections, there is violence and oppression.”
https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/politics/news/bnp-will-hold-rallies-cities-towns-july-31-3381536
