BNP calls for ‘national unity’ to combat militancy in Bangladesh

The BNP has urged the government to forge ‘national unity’ with all political parties and citizens to ‘combat militancy’.

The appeal comes in the wake of the killing of two foreign nationals in Bangladesh.

The party’s acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir lamented a lack of unity in Bangladesh in fighting terrorism unlike elsewhere in the world.

“There is talk everywhere about militancy here … But, unfortunately, the issue has been politicised in Bangladesh. This dirty politics is coming in the way of building national unity,” he told reporters on Thursday at the party headquarters.

In reply to a question, he said “no initiatives” were being taken to build a consensus.

Italian Cesare Tavella and Japanese Kunio Hoshi were shot dead in Dhaka and Rangpur on Sept 28 and Oct 3 respectively.

The government has dismissed reports of terrorist group IS claiming responsibilities for the murders.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina pointed a finger at the BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami alliance’s link with the incident, while her son Sajeeb Ahmed Wazed Joy said he had “reliable information” in this regard.

Fakhrul described the government’s statement over the killings as ‘incoherent’.

“What we need now is national unity involving all parties and citizens concerned,” he said, “The government will have to take this initiative.”