Dhaka, Nov 12 (V7N)- Opposition Chief Whip Nahid Islam has accused the government of deliberately creating opportunities for the Awami League to put pressure on the opposition, alleging that it is failing to maintain law and order and attempting to shield those involved in acts of terrorism and sabotage by denying such incidents.
He made the allegations while speaking to reporters after Thursday's parliamentary session on November 12.
Referring to the alleged arson attack at the village home of NCP leader and MP Nusrat Tabassum in Daulatpur, Kushtia, Nahid said the opposition had drawn the Home Minister's attention to the incident in Parliament.
He said the incident was not isolated, claiming that Nusrat had received threats over the phone for several days and had filed a general diary (GD) with the police.
Nahid alleged that the incident was part of a series of arson attacks, cocktail explosions and petrol bomb incidents reported in different parts of the country.
He also referred to an attack on Hasib Al Islam, president of the Dhaka University unit of Jatiya Chhatra Shakti and a coordinator of the student movement against discrimination, in Moulvibazar. Nahid said Hasib was hacked and injured in the attack.
According to the opposition chief whip, the targets of what he described as an ongoing campaign of anarchy and terrorism by fascist forces include members of the anti-discrimination student movement, leaders of the July Uprising, families of those killed during the uprising and injured fighters.
He accused the government of failing to address the situation and refusing to acknowledge the deterioration in law and order.
Criticising the Home Minister's recent remarks, Nahid said the minister had cited information and statistics to claim that the law and order situation had improved. However, the opposition considers the incidents reported across the country to be planned acts of terrorism and sabotage, he said.
Nahid also questioned the Home Minister's initial comments on the Kushtia incident. He said the minister had stated that an investigation was underway while also suggesting that an electrical short circuit was the likely cause of the fire.
Such comments should not be made while an investigation is still in progress, Nahid said.
He claimed that video footage and accounts from local residents indicated that the fire spread after an object was thrown at the house from outside. He further alleged that the footage showed an object resembling a petrol bomb.
Nahid accused the authorities of attempting to absolve those responsible through the Home Minister's remarks.
He also objected to describing the affected house as abandoned, saying people lived there and were present on the night of the incident. According to him, they escaped because they managed to leave the house quickly after the fire broke out.
The opposition chief whip alleged that there was an attempt to downplay the incident and avoid responsibility.
He further accused the government of deliberately allowing what he called an opportunity for Awami League activists to carry out acts of violence, potentially creating an atmosphere in which the opposition could be pressured. He said the government must take responsibility for the country's overall law and order situation.
Nahid announced that an opposition parliamentary delegation would visit Daulatpur in Kushtia on Friday to inspect the scene of the incident at Nusrat Tabassum's house. The delegation would conduct an investigation on behalf of the opposition and present its findings to the public, he said.
He added that the opposition no longer had confidence in the Home Minister's statements or the investigation process, alleging that the government was denying responsibility and trying to protect those involved.
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