Farhad Mazhar is a poet incapable of drama, says BNP leader Rizvi

The BNP has now accused the government of trying to scare the party by "staging the abduction" of controversial columnist Farhad Mazhar.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 4 July 2017, 03:00 PM
Updated : 4 July 2017, 04:23 PM

"Farhad Mazhar is a poet, essayist, political commentator and songwriter. Why will he take part in this drama?" said BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Tuesday.   

"Sheikh Hasina's government is the director and producer of this drama."

The BNP leader had blamed "a government agency" of abducting Mazhar during an emergency press conference on Monday, some hours after the 70-year-old was reported missing by his family. 

After an 18-hour-long intrigue, the Rapid Action Battalion found the columnist on a bus headed from Jessore to Dhaka, while finding no apparent proof of abduction.

Mazhar, a self-proclaimed Marxist with ties to right-wing groups, has been vocal in his opposition to ruling Awami League.

"They couldn’t digest Farhad Mazhar," Rizvi said. "Do you think a small-time criminal can abduct Farhad Mazhar? Even crazy people know that the government is behind this."

"This is nothing but a message for those who speak and write in protest. It's saying to those in the opposition that you too can suffer the same fate."

The government was also testing to see people's reaction to Mazhar's abduction, Rizvi said.

"Sixteen hours prior to the incident, Farhad Mazhar was in a press briefing at Dhaka Reporters Unity, organised by another brave person, Amar Desh editor Mahmudur Rahman, to voice protest against the lynching of Muslims in India."

"The government thought Mazhar was being an adviser to Mahmudur Rahman. It thought 'Mahmudur Rahman already spent four years in jail, so why not abduct him now. Let's start by abducting Mazhar and see what their reaction is!'"