Senior Awami League leader Mohammad Nasim has disparaged BNP as a political party that provides asylum to terrorists and criminals.
“It has been proven that its founder Ziaur Rahman was involved in the Aug 15 (Bangabandhu) assassination,” he said after a meeting of the 14-party coalition on Friday (Oct 12).
“Khaleda Zia has followed suit and made ministers and ambassadors out of those criminals,” Nasim added.
The AL presidium member lashed out at BNP for not investigating the Aug 21 case thoroughly saying, “Why did you obstruct justice when you were in office? Why were the criminals not brought to justice?”
He reiterated that heinous crimes including the assassination of 4 national leaders in 1975 happened on BNP’s watch.
“BNP is an enemy to democracy,” the health minister said, adding that they have consistently harboured the saboteurs of democracy and independence.
He expressed satisfaction at the verdict of the Aug 21 grenade attack case, adding: “BNP is paying for their transgressions.”
On Wednesday (Oct 10), Dhaka’s Speedy Trial Tribunal-1 sentenced former BNP ministers Lutfozzaman Babar, Abdus Salam Pintu and 17 others to the death row for their involvement in the 2004 attack on an Awami League rally.
BNP chief and former prime minister Khaleda Zia’s son, Tarique Rahman is currently a fugitive who has been given life sentence along with 18 others in the same case.
One of the biggest terror attacks in the history of Bangladesh, the assault of left 24 people dead and hundreds injured when approximately 14 grenades were detonated at an anti-terrorism rally by Awami League at Bangabandhu Avenue during the BNP-Jamaat’s regime.