BNP blames government for alleged blasphemy by Narayanganj teacher, his humiliation

The BNP has held the government responsible for the alleged blasphemy by a schoolteacher and his assault and public humiliation that followed in Narayanganj.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 22 May 2016, 02:53 PM
Updated : 22 May 2016, 03:28 PM

Spokesperson Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has said “Islam is being insulted” during the current government’s tenure while “those responsible for this are getting extrajudicial punishment”.

There have been “repeated attempt to insult Prophet Muhammad (s)” during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s tenure which is “neither a sign of progress nor secularism”, Rizvi said in a programme at the party’s Naya Paltan headquarters on Sunday.

The programme was organised to celebrate the Shab-e-Barat.

The BNP senior joint secretary general’s speech at the programme dwelled largely on the Narayanganj incident that took place a week ago.

On May 13, Jatiya Party MP Salim Oslam made Piyar Sattar Latif High School Headmaster Shyamal Kanti Bhakta to do sit-ups holding his ears in public after an assault as punishment for allegedly making derogatory remarks about religion.

Bhakta was also sacked by the school’s management committee, but the government ordered his reinstatement and terminated the committee after finding the allegation against him false.

The High Court has asked the authorities why Salim and others involved in the incident should not face legal action.

Those protesting against the incident have demanded apology from Salim. Ruling Awami League MPs have also slated him.

BNP leader Rizvi said Salim’s action was like a “godfather which Islam doesn’t allow”.

“There are law, judiciary to deal with this,” Rizvi said.

“The law is not taking its own course. Gadfathers have been created in every district and they have taken the law into their own hands...they are not accountable to the people,” he added.