24 December BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman is returning to the country. Secretary General of the party Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir gave this information in a briefing at the BNP Chairperson’s Gulshan Office today at 9:30 PM.
Mirza Fakhrul stated that the party’s Acting Chairman, Tarique Rahman, will arrive in Dhaka on December 25. He is being welcomed by the party.
Tarique Rahman was arrested in 2007 after the One-Eleven political change. After being released from prison in 2008, the family went to the United Kingdom for treatment. Since then he has been in that country.
The Awami League government was ousted in August, 2018, in a student uprising. Subsequently, Tarique Rahman’s conviction was overturned in various cases and he was acquitted of legal proceedings in some cases. After this, the discussion of his return to the country began. BNP leaders have been saying for months that Tarique Rahman will return soon. However, no one has given a specific date.
Tarique Rahman was expected to return home soon after BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s life became critical. In this context, Tarique Rahman posted a post on his Verified Facebook Page from London. There he wrote, ‘Like any child, I have a strong desire to get a mother’s touch during such a crisis. But like everyone else, my sole decision-making power in implementing it is unrestricted and not under sole control.’
In that post, he also wrote, ‘The time for a detailed description of the touchy subject is also limited. Our family is hopeful that my long anxious wait for my return home will come to an end as soon as this situation of political reality reaches the expected level.
After that, it has been repeatedly said from various levels of the government that there is no obstacle for Tarique Rahman to return to the country.
Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made this brief at the end of the BNP Standing Committee Meeting at night. He said that the obstacles created in the path of democracy will be removed when Tarique Rahman arrives in the country. Tarique Rahman’s arrival in the country is to be completed properlyFor that, he wants the support of the party leaders and workers.
Mirza Fakhrul said that the incident of firing on Inqilab Mancha Convener Osman Hadi was discussed in the party’s Standing Committee Meeting and BNP condemns the incident. Those who were fired, are demanding to be identified and brought under the law. He said, This incident proves that the evil forces who are working to disrupt the election in this country, trying to prevent the election from happening, this may be a conspiracy of theirs.
Mirza Fakhrul said, BNP Standing Committee Member Mirza Abbas is a candidate for the Dhaka-8 Constituency. As a political leader, he rushed to the hospital to show sympathy. But some individuals, supporters, and some other conspirators gathered and shouted rousing slogans and tried to create a mob. BNP strongly condemns this and warns that BNP will not sit idly by for such behaviour. BNP will give its reply soon.
Leaders of various parties rushed to Dhaka Medical College Hospital after hearing the news of Osman Hadi’s gunshot wound. BNP Standing Committee Member and the party’s nominee for Dhaka-8 Constituency Mirza Abbas arrived at Dhaka Medical around 4:00 PM. When he entered, many people including Inqilab Mancha leaders and activists gathered in front of the hospital chanting slogans of ‘Bhua Bhua’ at Mirza Abbas. At that time there was a commotion.
Later, with the help of BNP leaders and activists, Mirza Abbas entered the hospital and went in front of the Emergency Department Operation Theater to inquire about the health of Osman Hadi. There he fell under another round of cannon fire.
Later, around 4:30 PM, Mirza Abbas was again surrounded by chants of ‘Abbas Bhuya, Chandabaaz Bhuya, Terrorist Abbas’. He was also blocked for some time. Later, when police and army personnel came and removed the protesters, Mirza Abbas came out of the hospital premises.
Mirza Fakhrul said that BNP does not want any disturbance and terrorism, but BNP will not take it lightly if any blow comes to BNP. BNP knows how to respond.
Without creating mobsMirza Fakhrul urged everyone to work for a fair election without spoiling the election environment, otherwise the transition to democracy will be disrupted. So that all circles give importance to this issue.
Also present in the briefing were BNP Standing Committee Members — Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Mirza Abbas, Gayeshwar Chandra Roy, Abdul Moyeen Khan, Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Salahuddin Ahmed, Selima Rahman, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud, and Major (Retd.) Hafiz Uddin.
