BNP says government’s crackdown on student protesters was ‘ruthless’

A crackdown on student protesters engaged in a campaign for safer roads was a ‘ruthless move’ by the government, a senior BNP leader said.

Staff Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 9 August 2018, 07:44 AM
Updated : 9 August 2018, 01:51 PM

“The government didn’t stop even after setting Chhatra League musclemen after children and young people. They started a savage crackdown on them, aided by the police and RAB,” BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said in a news briefing in Dhaka on Thursday.

“The drive is nothing but a ruthless move against innocent students. We demand an immediate end to the torture on students.”

“As many as 35 cases were filed with 18 police stations in the capital and thousands of unidentified students were named in those cases. Police have already acknowledged that they arrested 75 and 22 students were remanded,” said Rizvi.

‘‘Innocent students have been remanded only for torturing them brutally.”

Rizvi also claimed that the guardians were worried over the police crackdown on students.

‘‘Police have created a battleground in Bashundhara by launching a crackdown on students with no political strings. They conducted the crackdown only to curb their justified movement.”

“The present Awami League government is an enemy to the state, democracy, social advancement and civilisation. They are mentally sick,” Rizvi said.

“The uprising of students against poor governance cannot be suppressed. The misrule is about to end no matter how many times the AL leaders talk about conspiracy,” he said.

Criticising the government for remanding photographer Shahidul Alam, Rizvi said, “The High Court ordered the authorities to provide treatment for Shahidul Alam but the state-run hospital BSMMU did not admit him following the government’s directive.”

The government lawyers are so cruel that they appealed against the High Court order only to ensure that a tortured person do not receive proper medical treatment, he said.

The BNP leader also came down heavily on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for not visiting the students and journalists injured during the students’ campaign for safer roads.

“The prime minister visited the attackers of Chhatra League but not the injured children and journalists.”

He also strongly criticised Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid’s stance on the students during a meeting with VCs from the private universities on Wednesday.

“Hunger for power has compelled the education minister to take position against innocent students. These people can discard rules and regulations, humanity, moral values and even demands of innocent children.”