Govt carrying out extrajudicial killings in name of anti-drug drive: Fakhrul

Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday alleged that the government was carrying out extrajudicial killings in the name of the countrywide anti-drug drive.
Claiming that the government was telling people lies about ‘gunfights’, he called on the people of all classes and professions to get united to launch a movement for establishing democracy in the country.
Addressing a protest meeting, Fakhrul suspected ‘a different kind of conspiracy’ of the government was behind the anti-narcotics drive that started in early May.
‘Everyday, people are being killed without trial,’ he said as he asked whether the things were being staged for creating a new atmosphere in the country for the things to come. 
Fakhrul warned that it would be wrong if the people thought it was only a drive against drugs. ‘Definitely, there is a different kind of conspiracy behind it,’ he said.
Referring to the killing of Jubo League leader and Teknaf municipality councillor Ekramul Hoque in a ‘gunfight’ during an anti-drug drive, Fakhrul said that locals claimed Ekram to be an innocent man. He asked who signalled the killing to be staged and who prepared the list.
Fakhrul alleged that the government had not touched the ‘drug emperors’ who are inside the ruling party. ‘The government has no accountability to the people,’ he said.
Referring to a recent report published in Indian newspaper Anandabazar, Fakhrul said that he was surprised that a prime minister of an independent country going to another country could say that their (India’s) cooperation was necessary for the upcoming general election.
Dhaka city Shechchhasebok Forum organised the meeting at the National Press Club demanding release of jailed BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and Swechchhasebok Dal president Shafiul Bari Babu.
Briefly addressing an iftar party on the same day, Fakhrul said that the government had been closing television channels, newspapers and online portals one after another and continued repressing journalists.
He said that the government was mounting pressure on mass media so that truths could not come out. He alleged that many journalists were terminated from their jobs for making truths of recent Khulna city polls public.
Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists faction and Dhaka Union of Journalists faction hosted the iftar party at the National Press Club.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net