Rizvi says opposition involved in self-confessed extremist acts

BNP Acting Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi yesterday alleged that the political party now playing the role of the opposition is involved in “self-confessed violent activities” and that threats are coming from within the party.

“We are now seeing fires and crude bomb explosions at different places in Dhaka. Are all of them being conducted by associates of the fallen autocrat? Now statements about self-admitted extremism are coming from the political party that is now playing the role of the opposition. They are involved in self-admitted violent activities, and the threats are certainly coming from among them,” he said.

“You know who I am referring to, but I may not want to say it,” he said while speaking as the chief guest at a discussion organised by Jatiyatabadi Samomona Jote at the Jatiya Press Club.

Rizvi said buses were set on fire in Madhya Badda, Uttara, Mirpur and Kafrul, while fires were reported on trains. “We have seen crude bomb explosions in front of the High Court and in front of Dhaka University’s main gate. Who are they?”

Rizvi also questioned the use of fuel by the Jamaat-led 11-party alliance during its recent long march to Rangpur.

He also referred to an incident at Rajshahi Railway Station late at night two days earlier, alleging that the student wing of the opposition, which he described as “covert”, carried out unprecedented vandalism and destructive activities there.

“Who will take responsibility for this?” he asked.

Rizvi challenged the political parties organising long marches over rising commodity prices, extortion and corruption to organise a similar march or protest against what he described as planned acts of violence.