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BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Tuesday said their party does not believe in mobocracy or any form of illegal persecution.
"We don't believe in any mob culture. Who does politics or not is a matter of law or the government. BNP has never created mob culture anywhere, nor does it believe in mobocracy. BNP never believes in any kind of illegal oppression and torture under any circumstances," he said while addressing a discussion meeting in the capital.
The discussion was organised at the Jatiya Press Club by Uttaranchal Student Forum, marking the 18th anniversary of the release of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman from prison.
On September 3, 2008, Tarique Rahman was freed on bail after serving 18 months in jail following his arrest during the 1/11 political changeover.
About a recent remark of Jatiya Party secretary general Shameem Haider Patwary that BNP should take the responsibility so that Jatiya Party can do politics, Rizvi said now BNP is not in the state power and no free fair election has been held yet.
"What responsibility are you talking about?... Why are you saying that BNP should take the responsibility? Who are you?" he said.
The BNP leader harshly criticised Jatiya Party for its role during Sheikh Hasina's regime. "What role did the Jatiya Party play? Who protected the bloodthirsty fascism of Sheikh Hasina? Who facilitated the looting of lakhs of crores of public money for 16 years? Who helped establish the dire Awami autocracy in this country?...One of those parties was the Jatiya Party," he alleged.
He also questioned the loyalty of Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader, saying, "Before the 2024 election, he went to India. On return, when journalists asked him about his discussions there, he replied he would not disclose anything without their (India's) permission. Are you the leader of a political party in India or Bangladesh?"
Talking about Tarique Rahman, Rizvi said the purpose of taking him (Tarique) to prison was to keep this nation subdued (in face of foreign influence) so that a neighbouring country can gain dominance over the economy, culture and all people of Bangladesh. "That is why Tarique Rahman was tortured," he said.
At the event, Rizvi also announced five top leaders of the newly formed committee of the student forum.
The five leaders are its president Imtiaz Raja Saurav of Dhaka University (hailed from Kurigram), senior vice president Farzana Akhter Rimi of Jagannath University (Bogura), general secretary Mujahidul Haque of Jagannath University (Bogura), senior joint general secretary Mohammad Abir Kazi of Dhaka University (Bogura) and organising secretary Naim Islam of South Asian University (Rangpur).