Law enforcers will stop violence on Hasina verdict date, not parties: BNP’s Amir Khosru

BNP National Standing Committee Member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury says if there is any unrest on the day of the verdict in the crimes against humanity case against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, it will be controlled by law-enforcing agencies.

It is not the responsibility of any political party to maintain law and order, he said, urging people to leave such modes of thinking behind.

Amir Khosru made the remarks while speaking to the media after inaugurating the “Medical Value Travel Summit” organised by the Chittagong Medical Travel Forum at the Hotel Peninsula in Chattogram on Friday.

In response to a question on what to do if there is any unrest surrounding the announcement of the International Crimes Tribunal’s verdict in the case next Monday, he said: “The law enforcing agencies will prevent unrest. That is not the responsibility of any political party. We have to slowly leave behind this culture. There are law enforcing agencies in the country, and their responsibility is to maintain law and order.

“And the court will deliver the verdict. We have nothing to say on the matter. The trial is the judiciary’s responsibility. Leave it to them. We wanted an impartial judiciary. Hopefully, an impartial judiciary has been established in Bangladesh. It will be institutionalised in the coming days. Right now, we are moving towards a political transition. Our main focus is on elections and democratisation.”

The International Crimes Tribunal will decide on Nov 17 whether Hasina, currently in India after fleeing in the face of a mass uprising, will be punished in a case over crimes against humanity for trying to suppress the July Uprising.

The three-member International Crimes Tribunal bench headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, set the date for the verdict in the case on Thursday.

The Awami League, banned from conducting activities, had announced a “Dhaka Lockdown” programme on Thursday in the lead-up to the verdict date. Following the announcement, sporadic bombings and vehicle burnings have occurred in various parts of the country, including Dhaka, over the past few days.