Terming the police findings in the violence in Nasirnagar in Brahmanbaria as “false and fabricated”, the BNP yesterday described the incident as a fallout of the internal feud within the local Awami League (AL) unit. “The police findings about the arson and attacks on temples and houses of minority Hindu people at Nasirnagar are fabricated and the outcome of a stage-managed investigation into a serious matter,” BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi told reporters at the party’s Naya Paltan office. Rizvi criticised the police report for including the names of two BNP
leaders along with 18 Awami League leaders, saying that the ruling party was trying to blame others for their misdeeds. He further alleged that police had prepared the false report to safeguard the local MP and minister.
Earlier, a BNP delegation—led by party vice chairman Maj. (retd) M Hafizuddin Ahmed—visited the affected areas in Nasirnagar. Ahmed accused local AL leaders of carrying out the anti-minority violence.
In another development, an 11-member delegation, led by the BNP chairperson’s adviser Zainul Abdin Farroque, will visit Gobindaganj in Gaibandha on Friday to investigate the alleged attacks and eviction of Santal families from their homes.
The other members of the delegation include BNP leaders Asadul Habib Dulu, Goutam Chakraborty, Sushil Barua, Joyonta Kundo, Amalendu Apu, Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Khudra Jati-Ghosthi (Ethnic Group) Dal leaders Prof. Marshal M Chiran, Mrigen Hagidhok, Dr Anjon Chicam, advocate Noren Talukder and Anthony Mangsung.
Farroque told The Independent that they would visit three to four places that had witnessed attacks on the ethnic people. “After the visit, we will brief local journalists about our primary findings and then will submit a report on the investigation to party chairperson Khaleda Zia,” he added.
At least three Santals were killed and many injured following clashes over land acquisition between police and workers of Rangpur Sugar Mills with Santal people on November 5 and 7.