Opposition staging ‘drama’ to conceal 'internal conflicts': Rizvi

BNP Acting Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has alleged that the Opposition Alliance is staging a “new political drama” in the streets to conceal internal conflicts and failures within their own ranks.

He said that while the country is going through various crises, the opposition parties are attempting to mislead the public instead of playing a constructive role.

He made the remarks as the chief guest at a ruling party-backed rally held in front of the National Press Club on Saturday. The rally was organised by the Jatiyatabadi Textile Engineers Association of Bangladesh (JTEB) to protest what it described as the Awami League's planned attempts to create anarchy and conspiracy across the country.

Addressing the rally, Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said that newspaper headlines were filled with the opposition's constant refrain of complaints and grievances. He alleged that the opposition had no interest in the country's development or public welfare. Instead, he said, its leaders were looking for new excuses to take to the streets and staging political dramas through various programmes to conceal internal conflicts.

Referring to the consequences of authoritarian rule, Rizvi said no ruler could escape the consequences of injustice and misgovernance indefinitely. History, he noted, showed that when people rose up in the streets, rulers responsible for wrongdoing were forced to flee. He added that authoritarian forces that had clung to power by force in Bangladesh had also been compelled to leave.

Speaking about the upcoming Durga Puja celebrations, the BNP leader said that the principal religious festival of the Hindu community had begun in the country. He said BNP leaders and activists at all levels had been given strict instructions to remain vigilant so that the festival could be celebrated with the highest level of security, religious solemnity, and peace.

He added that party representatives across the country were maintaining regular communication to ensure that members of the Hindu community could celebrate the festival in a peaceful environment.

Emphasising the importance of establishing the rule of law, Rizvi further said that no wrongdoing would go unpunished. He declared that a reign of betrayal and murder would no longer be allowed in the country and that justice for all crimes would be ensured through the legal system and the courts.

The rally was chaired by Engineer Md Fakhrul Alam, president of JTEB.

Among those who addressed the gathering were Riaz Uddin Mishu, a member of the BNP Central Committee; Jahanara Siddiqua, secretary-general of the Bangladesh Nurses Association; Rakibul Islam, a leader of the Jatiyatabadi Sangskritik Jote; Kazi Shakhawat, secretary-general of the Diploma Engineers Association; Dr Zahidur Rahman, vice-president of the Jatiyatabadi Swechchhasebak Dal; and Dr Tawhidur Rahman Auwal, vice-president of the Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal, along with others.