Rizvi: Extremist forces are rising for democracy and religious freedom

Staff Correspondent

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has commented that some forces are emerging in the country that pose a threat to democracy, religious freedom and democratic practices.

Politicians believe he made this comment in light of the rise of Jamaat-Shibir.

He made this statement at a discussion and prayer meeting organized at the Diploma Engineers Institute in the capital on Sunday, September 14.

The event was organized to mark the 18th anniversary of the release of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and the party’s acting chairman Tarique Rahman.

Rizvi said, “The rise of all the forces we are seeing now is a threat not only to democracy but also to the religious consciousness of the people of the country.”

He alleged that whether the state and university authorities are jointly creating a deep blueprint to suppress nationalist forces has become a matter of concern for the common people today.

Stating that the ballot papers used in the DUCSU and JACSU elections were printed by a privately owned company, he said that the owner of that company has close ties to a political party.

Rizvi also said that the vice-chancellors of 16 universities in the country are supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami. This was reflected in the recent university elections. If there is a planned engineering to win for any student organization, then it will be revealed at some point.

Rizvi, describing student politics as ‘like a festival’, said that all former students and student representatives participate in this festival. However, the Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University has created a code of conduct and says that no outsider will be allowed to enter the university. It seems that the university is like an isolated island.

He also alleged that elections in universities are being ‘monopolized’ by colluding with pro-government groups.

He further said, “In this country, people pray five times a day on one hand, watch dramas and listen to songs on the other – this is our cultural reality. But when everything is made one-sided, fascism arises. Its ultimate form is the spread of radical communalism and radical religious politics.”