Denouncing the Gulshan terror attack, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday called upon all, irrespective of party and opinion, to unite against terrorism without any further delay.

“Let's build a peaceful, democratic and safe Bangladesh, forgetting all divisions among us.

“It's no longer a big issue as to who will be in power. Now the present and the future of this country are at stake. No achievement is going to last if we can't resist terrorism and ensure safety of people's lives,” Khaleda said at a press briefing at her Gulshan office in the capital after a meeting of her party's standing committee members.

In a written statement, the former premier also said terrorism rises in a country in the absence of democracy, the rule of law and human rights. Political intolerance, autocracy, oppressed state system and economic disparity give rise to such a situation, the BNP chief said.  

“I think such a national crisis cannot be tackled without people's participation, and only a democratic system can ensure people's participation.”

No one is safe anywhere in the country now, Khaleda said.

“This killing spree, bloodshed, the alarming situation has to stop. We must unite.”

Pointing to the militants attack in Holey Artisan Bakery and Restaurant, which left 28 people killed, including 20 foreigners, Khaleda said the peace-loving people of Bangladesh and the world community became concerned following the incident that exposed the security weaknesses as well as the strength of terrorists in the country.

Expressing her anger and deep shock over the gruesome terror attack, Khaleda said she did not have words to condemn the incident.

“We express our strong hatred towards this perversion.”

No person of conscience can accept such a cowardice attack and killing of innocent people. “It's not possible to achieve anything by resorting to such illogical, cruel, imprudent and wrong path,” she said.

No religion and ideology support “mindless terrorist acts”, the BNP chief said.

Islam is a peace-loving religion and it is deadly against terrorism and killing of innocent people, she added.

Meanwhile, Soto Nagorik (Hundred Citizens), a platform of pro-BNP intellectuals, last night demanded that the government hold a national dialogue to tackle the present situation, shunning the culture of blame game.

Prof Emajuddin Ahmed, former chief election commissioner Abdur Rauf, Poet Al Mahmud, Prof Anwar Ullah Chowdhury, among others, signed the statement.