“Why Only Awami League? Anyone Could Commit Such Acts of Terrorism,” Khusru Hints at Jamaat?

Staff Correspondent

BNP Standing Committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury said that recent incidents such as arson on buses and cocktail explosions in various places including Dhaka were not only committed by the Awami League, but “anyone could have committed them.”

He made these remarks while talking to reporters after a meeting of European Union representatives in Gulshan on Wednesday morning.

Khasru said, “Awami League is not even in the race for the elections, their activities have been suspended. Why would Awami League commit such terrorist acts, anyone can do it.”

Analysts believe that the comments made by this leader, one of the BNP’s policymakers, are aimed at ‘Jamaat’.

“Who is doing these terrorist acts is the responsibility of the law enforcement agencies,” Khasru added. “If the government wants, it is very easy to find out the root causes behind it.”

In the past few days, there have been incidents of car fires and cocktail explosions in various areas including the capital surrounding the Awami League’s ‘Dhaka Lockdown’ program, which has banned its activities. Police have arrested some Awami League leaders and activists in this incident.

BNP leader Khasru said the government must play a more cautious and responsible role to prevent anyone from disrupting the voting process through terrorist activities before the elections.

“We hope the government will be more diligent in this regard. The law enforcement agencies will properly fulfill their responsibilities to prevent terrorist activities,” he said.

Preparations are underway to hold the 13th National Parliament election next February. Before that, the verdict in the case filed against former Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina at the International Crimes Tribunal will be announced on November 13. On that day, the Awami League will observe the ‘Dhaka Lockdown’ program.

Security analyst Aminul Haque said that there are conflicting allegations in the political arena about who is responsible for these incidents. In particular, the BNP is gradually trying to bring Jamaat to the fore as a political opponent. In this context, Khasru’s comments make it clear that attempts to blame the Awami League for the recent violent incidents are in no way acceptable, but rather, it could be the activities of a political opponent.