Staff Reporter :
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has accused the government of deliberately suppressing information regarding the ongoing student movement and downplaying the casualties incurred during the unrest.
At a press conference held at BNP chairperson’s Gulshan office, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir criticized the government’s handling of the situation, alleging a concerted effort to shift blame onto political opponents.
“The government is only focusing on the attacks and vandalism during the movement while ignoring the reasons behind the students’ protests and the true extent of casualties,” stated Mirza Fakhrul.
He further asserted that the government’s failure to disclose accurate casualty figures is misleading the nation and obstructing transparency. “The real number of deaths and injuries remains undisclosed by the government,” he added.
Mirza Fakhrul claimed that in response to the student protests, approximately 2,000 BNP leaders and activists have been arrested across the country. He demanded the immediate release of those detained.
“So far, we have confirmed that around 2,000 of our leaders and activists have been arrested,” Mirza Fakhrul disclosed, highlighting the challenges faced due to restricted communication channels imposed by the government.
“We have been isolated and are unable to communicate with our leaders and workers because the government has shut down communication systems,” he lamented.
Mirza Fakhrul also highlighted the closure of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office following a raid by law enforcement authorities. “Our office was raided and all our belongings were confiscated,” he claimed.
The BNP leader named several senior members of the party who have been arrested, including Nazrul Islam Khan, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Nurul Haque Nur, Golam Parwar, and Abdullah Mohammad Taher.
He vehemently denied the government’s allegations of BNP’s involvement in subversive activities.