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Dhaka/

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir alleged that the government has pre-planned communal attacks in Panchgarh to divert the movement to different sectors.

In a press conference at the chairperson’s office in Gulshan on Sunday, he complained that the government had carried out the attack with its own people. This act was done with ulterior motive purely for political vendetta. Now the blame is being placed on BNP leaders and activists. After the incident, the police created a reign of terror there. Mass arrests have started to hide the real culprits. So far 181 supporters and activists of BNP have been arrested.

The press conference was organized to present the information of the investigation committee of BNP regarding the communal attack in Panchagarh. At that time, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, vice chairman of the main team of the investigation committee, Zainul Abedin, member and vice chairman of the investigation committee, Ismail Hossain Zabiullah, adviser to the chairperson, Panchagarh district BNP member secretary Farhad Hossain Azad and others were present.

Mirza Fakhrul said, we think that the government has done this in a very planned way. Its main objective is to divert the movement for the restoration of democracy and divert people’s attention and create a negative image about BNP at home and abroad. Stating that ‘Awami League has always done arson’, he said that such incidents are happening because there is no democracy and accountability. The crisis will be resolved only if the fascist government is removed and democracy is restored.

Highlighting the subject of the investigation at the press conference, Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said that the attack on the homes of the Ahmadiyya community in Panchgarh was ‘pre-planned’ and ‘the work of those in power’, which came to light in our investigation.

He said, we went to the spot on March 8, went to the house of the victims and spoke to them. They said it was planned and told us the names of those who did it. The perpetrators are not named in the case. Even during the incident, the law enforcement forces played a silent role. The local administration gave us an appointment but later canceled it. When a government minister went to the spot, the victims themselves told him (the minister) that those who set fire to our houses are with you. The system that is going on in the country now is called Mastantantra. The rulers are doing it.

Hafiz Uddin demanded a judicial inquiry into the Panchagarh incident and adequate compensation to the victims.