Strongly protesting the killing of a Jubo Dal leader in ‘custody through torture,’ BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has demanded that the offenders be brought to justice to prevent the repetition of extrajudicial killings.
“We had long been speaking out against extrajudicial killings, illegal arrests, and custodial deaths during Hasina’s rule. Unfortunately, it is deeply saddening that one of our Jubo Dal leaders was killed by the joint forces after being picked up yesterday (Friday),” he said.
Fakhrul made these remarks while speaking at a clothes distribution programme for the destitute at a playground in Uttara’s 13-No sector, organised by the Dhaka North City unit of BNP.
“We want to make it clear that we don’t want to see any more extrajudicial killings in the country and such incidents should not be repeated, and those who committed this heinous crime must be brought to justice,” he said.
Towhidul Islam, 42, convener of Panchthuri union Jubo Dal in Cumilla Sadar upazila, was allegedly picked up from his home by the joint forces early Friday and later died at Cumilla Medical College Hospital.
Family members have claimed that he was tortured to death, as physicians found torture marks on his body.
The BNP leader mentioned that many of their party’s leaders and workers, including former MP Ilias Ali and Uttara Chhatra Dal leader Munna, were victims of enforced disappearance.
“We don’t want to witness such incidents. We want to see a peaceful situation in the country, the rule of law, and justice. We don’t want to see any more injustice towards the people,” he said.
Fakhrul also called on BNP leaders and workers to refrain from hooliganism, land-grabbing, extortion and other wrongful activities. “Those who indulge in such activities are the enemies of the country and the party.”
He urged the party leaders and workers to earn the trust and love of the people, aiming to gain public support and come to power through the next election.
Earlier in the day, Mirza Fakhrul had alleged that people in plainclothes had killed Cumilla Jubo Dal leader Towhidul Islam through torture.
In a statement, Fakhrul also called for an urgent investigation to determine whether associates of the Awami League, lurking within the government and administration, played a role in the incident.
Following the fall of the fascist Awami League government, the BNP leader said the occurrence of extrajudicial killing under the interim government, supported by political parties involved in the democratic movement, is deeply unfortunate.
He said the extrajudicial killing of the Jubo Dal leader has shocked the nation and created renewed fear among the people.
“No government force has the right to take the law into its own hands. No matter how powerful the criminal is, they must be brought under the law and given exemplary punishment. But state forces have no right to torture and kill someone unlawfully,” Fakhrul said.
He strongly protested and denounced the extrajudicial killing of Towhidul Islam and demanded that the true perpetrators behind the killing be brought to justice.
"If the fascist misrule of Awami League is repeated, the country will again plunge into chaos. People will live in constant fear. Extrajudicial killings can never bring peace and order to society," the BNP leader said.
Fakhrul also prayed for the salvation of Towhidul Islam’s departed soul and expressed his sympathy to the bereaved family members.
On his verified Facebook page on Saturday morning, Fakhrul posted a photo card with the message, "Jubo Dal leader Towhidul Islam Hottar Bichar Chai" (We demand justice for the murder of Jubo Dal leader Towhidul Islam).
Meanwhile, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi slammed the Dr Muhammad Yunus-led interim government over the ‘extrajudicial killing’ of Towhidul, saying that it occurred in the same manner as during the Awami League government.
He also lamented that the incident occurred amid ongoing conspiracies both at home and abroad against the country and the interim government.
"Our fears are growing day by day. A Jubo Dal leader, who was picked up in Cumilla, was returned by law enforcers as dead. Why is this happening during Dr Yunus' tenure?" Rizvi said.
He said Dr Yunus, who is admired by various human rights organisations across the globe including Western democratic countries, is also liked by the people of Bangladesh. “If the various evil deeds and atrocities of the Sheikh Hasina government are repeated during his tenure, the people will be shocked.”
He made the comments while addressing the introduction meeting of the central convening committee of "Thikana Bangladesh", a newly formed pro-BNP platform, at Nayapaltan Bhashani Auditorium in the capital.
Rizvi strongly condemned the killing of the Cumilla Jubo Dal leader, stating that if Towhidul was a criminal, he should have been arrested and brought to justice.
“But why would he be arrested, tortured to death, and then returned to his parents during this government's rule?"
He said the people of the country forced a terrible and bloodthirsty government to leave as it had indulged in such extrajudicial killings.
"Why would extrajudicial killings, like those during Sheikh Hasina's regime, be repeated in this country again?"
The BNP leader said if there had been any allegations of crime against the Jubo Dal leader, it was the responsibility of the court to judge that crime.
Rizvi said the democratic parties and democracy-loving people of the country had extended their support to the Dr Yunus-led government, even though it was not an elected administration.
“But if Hasina's rule is repeated during this government, then the bloody movement, the bloodshed on the streets, and the supreme sacrifices of a five-year-old child like Ahad, and young souls like Mughdo and Abu Sayed, who fearlessly accepted the bullets of Sheikh Hasina's police during the July mass uprising, will be completely in vain,” he bemoaned.
