BNP against militancy, Awami League ‘harbouring’ it, Khaleda Zia says

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has said her party is against militancy while ruling Awami League is ‘harbouring’ it.

“Of course we support suppression of militancy, but this Awami League has militants in it,” she said at an Iftar party on Sunday.

“They (Awami League) have foreign and local guns and ammunition,” she added.

The BNP chief criticised the recent anti-terrorism drive, saying it was ‘nothing but a way to arrest the leaders and activists of her party’. She demanded immediate release of the arrested leaders and activists of her party.

Pro-BNP journalists’ organisations Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) and Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) organised the Iftar gathering.

Speaking about the corruption cases against herself, Khaleda wondered how the cases against Awami League chief Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina were dropped.

Khaleda also blamed Hasina for the killing of a suspected militant in so-called ‘crossfire’ during his remand.

“Court has banned crossfire. A person was put on 10-day remand by DB. How did they shoot him dead with his handcuffs on and call it a crossfire? It was not crossfire, but murder,” she said.

“The prime minister is responsible for this,” she added.