BNP criticises Hasina for 'irresponsible comments'

The BNP says Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina blaming them for the murder of two foreign nationals was 'uncalled for'.

BNP spokesperson Asaduzzaman Ripon said on Sunday that such comments are not desirable when the investigations were going on.

Japanese national Kunio Hoshi was shot dead by assailants in the northern district Rangpur on Saturday within five days of a similar murder of Italian aid worker Cesare Tavella in Dhaka.

Islamic State (IS) has reportedly claimed responsibility for the murders of the two foreigners and warned of more such attacks.

But the government doubts the radical group’s direct involvement and says it’s a ploy to ‘create instability in the country’.

Speaking at a media interaction on Sunday, Hasina blamed the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami for 'abetting' the murders in an attempt to undermine Bangladesh’s achievements.

"There is no reason to believe that all our achievements will be overshadowed by these heinous murders, but that is what is being attempted.

“But if we get carried away by these murders and overlook our achievements, the BNP-Jamaat conspiracy will be successful," said the prime minister.

The BNP said they expected the prime minister to ‘comment responsibly’.

“The prime minister said that the matters were being investigated. Then again, she said the BNP or some other opposition party is involved in it. Her comments are very unfortunate,” BNP’s International Affairs Secretary Ripon told the media at the party headquarters.