Extrajudicial killings are back: Mirza Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday said extrajudicial killings are happening once again in the country.

"Such killings had reduced significantly after the US ban on RAB, but those sanctioned were not punished, rather they were rewarded leading to a repeat of the such murders," Fakhrul said at the Muktijoddha Mass Rally organised by the Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal at the capital's Engineer Institution Auditorium.

Sultana Jasmine, an employee of a Naogaon union parishad land office, died from a brain haemorrhage two days after RAB had picked her up on 22 March.

Fakhrul said, "There is no difference between the ruling Awami League government and the Pakistani government of 1971. They don't think about common people; their true face was revealed in '72."

He further said, "The Awami League thinks they fought alone in the Liberation War. That's why they don't remember the names of Fazlul Haque, Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy, and General Osmani, the commander-in-chief of the Liberation War. And they cannot even think of mentioning freedom fighter Ziaur Rahman."

Criticising the government claims of development, Fakhrul said the country has not witnessed any development but the leaders of the ruling Awami League got richer.

He said the Awami League government in 2008 promised to sell rice at Tk10 per kg but the reality is far different now.

"They are talking about the Ukraine-Russia war, but in reality it is the Awami League's failure. Their corruption is responsible for the increase in commodity prices," Fakhrul claimed.

The BNP secretary general urged everyone to be vocal against the injustice of the ruling government.