'Difficult times ahead for BNP'

BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman today said that difficult times are ahead for the party, adding that just as the previous fascist government spread propaganda against BNP, certain individuals and groups are doing the same at present.

"Two of those individuals were with us in the previous [BNP-Jamaat] government… Their decision to stay with the BNP government proved they had full confidence in Khaleda Zia," he said.

Tarique made the remarks at an event held at the Krishibid Institution Bangladesh (KIB) auditorium in Dhaka's Farmgate.

Tarique said he had recently heard some individuals and groups saying -- in various places and on social media -- that they had seen this party and that party, and now people should look at someone else.

"… People of this country already saw them in 1971. In 1971, to protect their own interests, they killed lakhs of people. Before the fascist [government] fled, they too killed thousands in an attempt to cling to power," he said.

Tarique also said that he had heard some individuals from a political party were going around "selling tickets".

"They are giving confirmations for various things... Everything in this world and the next belongs to Allah... From my understanding, saying these things [granting such confirmations] amounts to 'shirk'," he said.

Addressing Chatra Dal leaders and activists, he said, "You must go door to door and tell people that those who make such claims are committing 'shirk'."

Tarique said that various forms of conspiracies were unfolding. He said, only the people of Bangladesh can resist these conspiracies, and BNP, together with the public, has the ability to confront them.

"The only way to stop these conspiracies is democracy. If we can establish the people's mandate at any cost, we will be able to prevent many conspiracies," he said.

"But even if we succeed in stopping them, difficult days are ahead," he added.