'Awami League looking to cling to power by creating climate of fear': Fakhrul

BNP on Monday alleged the Awami League-led government is looking to cling to power by creating a climate of fear in the country, as they hosted an iftar party for the professionals and eminent personalities of the country.

The programme was held at Ladies Club in the city’s Eskaton area.

Before the iftar, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir exchanged greetings with the invited guests, reports UNB.

In a brief address before the iftar, Fakhrul said their party chairperson Khaleda Zia used to host an iftar for the professionals during Ramadan every year. “But it’s our misfortune that she could not join the programme as she has been kept under house arrest through conviction in false cases.”

He said people are not being able to pass the holy month of Ramadan with ease due to the exorbitant prices of daily essentials. “There is an extreme disorder in the country and people do not feel safe anymore while the government has snatched our all rights.”

The BNP leaders said a female employee of the Naogaon union parishad land office died in RAB custody 36 hours after she was picked up by the elite force.

“Doctors said she died after suffering brain haemorrhages and there’s a mark of injury on her head. That means another helpless and very simple working woman died at the hand of Rab. It’s unfortunate that a case was filed against her under the Digital Security Act. This is the scenario of Bangladesh.”

He said the government has been resorting to repression, suppression, killing, enforced disappearance, extrajudicial killing and false cases "to hang on to power by creating a climate of fear".

“Let’s raise our voice against injustice and unfairness defying all fears - we must spread the language of protest everywhere,” he said.

Educationists Prof Mahbub Ullah, Prof Dilara Chowdhury, Sammalita Peshajibi Parishad convenor Dr AZM Zahid Hossain, member secretary Kader Gani Chowdhury, poet Abdul Hye Sikder, among other different professionals, including academicians, doctors, engineers, journalists and lawyers, took part in the iftar party.

BNP standing committee member Selima Rahman, vice chairman Zainul Abedin, chairpersons’ advisory council members Abdus Salam, Prof Abdul Quddus and Saheda Rafique were also present.

The party also hosted an iftar party for orphan students and alem-ulema (Islamic scholars) on Friday, the first day of the fasting month of Ramadan.