Police used for curbing freedom of speech: BNP

Bangladesh Nationalist Party leaders on Wednesday alleged none was safe during the present regime and police was used for curbing freedom of speech as they had no accountability or responsibility to the people.

Addressing rallies in all the districts headquarters protesting against killing of four people in police firing in Bhola, they alleged killing people ‘by the government’ had become regular phenomenon as it treated people as ‘animals and birds’.

They said Bangladesh was a country of religious harmony but the government turned it into a turbulent one.

Addressing a rally after a procession by Dhaka South  City BNP in front of the party’s central office at Naya Paltan, the party senior joint-secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said it seems the government treats people like animals and birds and they were used to open fire on any public gathering.  Killing people has become normal to them, he said.

Rizvi said the government kept their chairperson Khaleda Zia in jail to turn Bangladesh into a subservient country.

All the thana units in Dhaka city staged similar demonstrations, according to BNP press releases.

BNP organized similar protests in Chattogram, Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet, Barishal, Bagerhat, Jashore, Magura, Gazipur, Naakhali and Lakshmipur, New Age correspondents reported. 

In Narayanganj, witnesses and BNP activists alleged the police snatched away the banner of Narayanganj district and city BNP and forced the activists to leave the venue when they were trying to organise a rally near Narayanganj District Press Club at about 4:30pm.

District BNP general secretary Mamun Mahmud alleged police snatched away their banner and did not allow them to hold the protest rally.

Narayanganj police station inspector Mizanur Rahman said they went to the spot for the sake of free movement of traffic but the BNP activists left the spot immediately.

Four people were killed and scores injured on Sunday in a clash between police and demonstrating locals in Borhanuddin upazila town, demanding punishment of a youth for allegedly hurting religious sentiments using Facebook account.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net