Anti-drug crackdown: Govt targets BNP men, says Rizvi

Terming the ongoing anti-drug crackdown across the country as politically motivated, BNP today said that the motive behind such spree is nothing but targeted killing of its party men.

"An extra judicial killing spree is going on in the name of anti-drug drive. Its political motive is nothing but to kill our party's young leaders implicating them with false cases," BNP Spokesperson Rizvi Ahmed said.

Claiming that a Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal leader of Netrokona unit was victimised of the so-called gunfight last night, Rizvi, the senior joint secretary general of the party, said that the government is creating panic across the country ahead of the upcoming general election.

Speaking at a press conference at the party's Nayapaltan central office in Dhaka, Rizvi said the government has drawn a deep-rooted design to divert people's attention from its utter failure in curbing price spiral of daily essential during the month of Ramadan and improving law and order in the country.

Blaming the ruling party lawmakers including Abdur Rahman Bodi and high officials in the police department responsible for the countrywide drug rackets, Rizvi said the entire country has been flooded with narcotic items during the nine years rule of the illegal government.

BNP is not against the anti-drug crackdown, Rizvi said calling up on the government to ensure the highest punishment of the drug paddlers after bringing them to justice.

"Otherwise,the ongoing spree of killing people in the name of gunfight cannot be expected in a civilised society," he added.

Rizvi said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave instruction during yesterday's cabinet meeting to her party men to carry out electioneering ahead of the Gazipur City Corporation elections for victory of the Awami League candidate.

The prime minister has violated the electoral code of conduct giving such instruction to her party men, he blamed.