Leave politics, form terrorist group: Hanif to BNP

Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbub-ul Alam Hanif has harsh words for the BNP for calling the attack on an Awami League anti-shutdown rally in Chittagong’s Fatikchharhi a ‘mass protest’.

Three people were killed in that attack on Apr 11 at Bhujpur in Fatikchharhi Upazila. It was alleged that Jamaat-e-Islami and Hifazat-e Islam supporters were the ones who carried out the assault.

The BNP has said that the attack on the ruling party procession was nothing but venting of the people’s ‘grievance’.

Hanif on Friday criticised BNP for not condemning the attack on a procession of a political party.

Speaking at a programme at the Shilpakala Academy in Dhaka, he said, “They have rather announced that incidents like Bhujpur will happen again. This cannot be the language of politics.”

“Murder, attack, terrorist activities cannot be an act of politics. You [BNP] should leave politics and form a terrorist organisation. People do not want to see you all as politicians.”

Addressing the opposition, the Awami League leader said that enforcing strikes is a democratic right, but not observing strikes is also a right.

He claimed that a ‘plot’ was hatched centring the long march of the little-known Chittagong-based radical organisation Hifazat-e Islam earlier this month. “A huge amount of money has changed hands. A vested quarter wanted to use Hifazat-e Islam for its own interest. But the senior Hifazat leaders did not walk into the trap.”

Hanif advised Hifazat to not get involved in politics. “Many questions have already been raised about you. I urge you to stay with religion. Don’t step into the trap of Jamaat and Shibir.”

He told the BNP, which has been demanding reinstatement of the caretaker government system since it was annulled in June 2011, to have a look at the election process of the neighbouring Malaysia and India.

“The general elections in Malaysia will be held on May 5. Please go and have a look at how the election is held by their Election Commission. The situation is also the same in India.”

He also asked the opposition to leave the path of conflict and return to constitutional politics.

Hanif was speaking at a discussion organised by the Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote in remembrance of late President Md Zillur Rahman.