Mobocracy rules Bangladesh, not democracy: BNP
Dhaka: The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) has accused the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government of allowing “mobocracy” to take over the country, following the deadly attack on student-led National Citizen Party (NCP) rally in Gopalganj on July 16 that left four dead.
At a protest rally in Dhaka on Thursday (July 17), BNP Standing Committee member Salahuddin Ahmed said, “We led the July uprising for democracy. But now, across the country, what we see is mobocracy reigning supreme. We demanded democracy, but what we got is mobocracy.” He blamed the crisis on the government’s “indifference and failure to maintain law and order.” The Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal, BNP’s youth wing, organised the protest to denounce rising crimes—killings, muggings, extortion—and the government’s inaction.
In a statement following a BNP standing committee meeting chaired virtually by Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, the party alleged a “deliberate attempt to sabotage the democratic process” and the upcoming February parliamentary polls. It condemned the Gopalganj attack, allegedly by the now-banned Awami League supporters, and criticised the imposition of Section 144 and curfew as part of a “blueprint to disrupt democracy.”
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir stated, “We express deep concern and strong condemnation over the attacks, cocktail explosions, and arson,” demanding swift arrests and justice. The BNP also criticised recent “indecent” remarks made against its top leaders, including late President Ziaur Rahman Bir Uttam, former premier Khaleda Zia, and BNP supremo Tarique Rahman, and warned these would destabilise the political transition.
The party expressed frustration over some recent activities of the NCP, accusing it of taking a “subversive” stance. However, it hopes the Gopalganj incident will prompt NCP to “emerge from under the government’s shadow” and follow a democratic path. A senior BNP leader warned, “Anyone who tries to seek elections through cooperation with the administration will meet the same fate as the Awami League.” The party also condemned the recent killing at Dhaka's Mitford Hospital and urged the government to act decisively to restore law and order across the country.
