BNP slams govt for arresting DW interviewee Nafiz

 
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday castigated the government for arresting Nafiz Mohammad Alam who was interviewed in a Deutsche Welle documentary on RAB, saying it's a move to stop those who want to talk about 'unconstitutional' activities of the elite force.

"The arrest of Nafiz Mohammad Alam has proved that RAB is involved in unconstitutional activities. They (govt) are trying to silence the people who are talking (about it) here," he said.

The BNP leader made the remarks while talking to reporters at Delta Care Hospital in the city's Rampura area.

Fakhrul went to the hospital to visit Natore Sadar Upazila BNP general secretary Abul Hossain who was critically injured in Natore's Alaipur area by the ruling party activists while observing the party's sit-in programme on Saturday last, reports UNB.

The BNP leader said the government is in fact responsible for the 'unlawful' activities carried out by the RAB.

As a state institution, he said RAB is subservient to the government and force is working as per the government's instructions.

"They (govt) are using the RAB. So, the main responsibility falls on the government (for the force's activities). That is why we demanded the resignation of this government," Fakhrul said.

He also demanded the formation of an impartial commission to investigate the wrongdoings by the RAB.

The BNP leader said the biggest weakness of the Awami League government is that it was not elected by the people.

He said the Awami League government has become completely isolated from the country's people.  "They (govt) are not accountable to the people. "That's why they want to hang onto power by resorting to terrorism, 'false' cases and using the state machinery to foil the opposition's democratic programme."

Police on Sunday night arrested Nafiz from his home in the Bashundhara residential area of Dhaka.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mainul Islam scrapped Nafiz's bail plea and ordered him to be taken to jail on Monday in a narcotics case.

Bhatara police arrested Nafiz on Sunday night from a home he rented in Dhaka's Bashundhara Residential Area. He was later made accused in a case under the Narcotics Control Act. Police seized "26 bottles of alcohol and 32 cola cans", which are priced at Tk 16,000, during Nafiz's arrest, according to the case documents. Nafiz's Lenovo laptop, iPhone 13 Pro handset, and Hero Hunk motorcycle have also been seized.

Nafiz was interviewed and quoted in a Deutsche Welle-Netra News documentary on elite force Rapid Action Battalion that aired on April 3 last.