Mirza Fakhrul calls for withdrawal of army from streets
People want to know the exact number of innocent people who have been killed and maimed in the last few days, he says
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, in a statement on Friday, called for the withdrawal of the army from the streets and an end to the curfew.
In the statement, Mirza Fakhrul said, "Using the army to suppress the legitimate movement of the student population is never acceptable. We demand the immediate withdrawal of the curfew and the return of the army to the barracks."
He said, "The Awami League has always come to power through bloodshed and the extent to which it has killed innocent students and civilians in the last few days to maintain its hold on power reminds us of the Pakistani occupation forces."
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The statement further reads, "BNP Joint Secretary General Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie, Barishal BNP Member Secretary Advocate Ziauddin Sikdar, Natore District BNP Member Secretary Rahim Nawaz have been arrested, and Dhaka South BNP's former joint convener Mosharraf Hossain Khokon was produced in court three days after his arrest."
Mirza Fakhrul said, "The houses of opposition leaders and activists are being searched across the country. Law enforcement agencies are conducting searches at the residences of senior leaders, including BNP Vice Chairman Abdul Awal Mintoo."
He went on to say, "People want to know the exact number of innocent people who have been killed and maimed in the last few days. People also want to know how much ammunition, tear gas shells, and sound grenades, bought with the people's money, have been used on the students. One day, the people will avenge the killings which have been caused by using helicopters bought with state money."
"Resign immediately and hand over power to a non-partisan neutral government to ensure the safety of the lives and property of the people and arrange for a neutral election," the BNP leader said. ***
