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Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi Ahmed has said it would not be possible to make state reforms keeping cohorts of Awami League (AL) in various key positions of administration.
He made the remarks while addressing as the chief guest a memorial meeting for Shaheed Jahiduzzaman Tanvir, who was shot dead by police firing during Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, in the capital’s Dakshinkhan on Saturday, BSS reports.
Rizvi said around 2,000 people were killed in the last 36 days till the ouster of fascist Sheikh Hasina’s regime during the July-August movement.
Those who opened fire on common people to protect Sheikh Hasina’s regime are still holding various key positions, he said.
The BNP leader demanded the removal of cohorts of AL before making any reforms saying state reforms cannot be possible without bringing the killers to book.
He said AL enforced authoritarian rule seizing the people’s voting rights and finally it wanted to cling on to power by killing students and the general masses.
Those who carried out carnage must be brought to justice, otherwise, souls of the martyrs won’t get peace, he said.
About Bangladesh, India relations, Rizvi said: “At first India will have to respect our independence and sovereignty as a friend leaving aside their lordship attitude”.
He said when the entire world rejected Sheikh Hasina’s one-party election, only India supported it.
“The border between Bangladesh and India is seen as the bloodiest one. The days of bowing down to India come to an end. The people of Bangladesh will never be on their knees again,” he said.
He urged the interim government to hold a free, fair and neutral election after making required reforms.
Local BNP leaders Kafil Uddin, Mostafizur Rahman Segun and Professor Saiful Islam also spoke, among others.