Police took bombs to BNP office, kept those there: Fakhrul

BNP secretsry general talking to reporters at Bijoy Nagar where police stopped him from going to Nayapaltan office.

 Dhaka, Dec 8 – BNP Secretary General Mirza Faklhrul Islam Alamgir was barred from going into BNP’s Nayapaltan Central Office this morning.

Police stopped Fakhrul when he reached Bijoynagar intersection around 10:50am, after appearing before a Dhaka court in the morning.

Police officers told the senior BNP leader that they will not allow anyone to go into the BNP office until their necessary work is done for security reasons, as they “recovered bombs” from there.

"Police are lying... This is our office, and I will go in. It is my right to go there," said Fakhrul.

Biplab Sarkar, joint commissioner (operation) of DMP headquarters, told Fakhrul that BNP leaders threw cocktails at police yesterday in the area, and that BNP office is not safe, it is now "a crime scene".

"No one is allowed to go in until our work is done," he said. As Fakhrul got agitated, Biplab requested, "Please don’t be angry and cooperate with us.”

Fakhrul responded, "Don’t talk like political leaders."

Fakhrul said the BNP office is "their property" and they have the right to go in.

Later, talking to reporters, the BNP leader said, “Despite being the BNP secretary general, I was not allowed to go to my party’s central office. This is my democratic right.What the police officer said about bombs in our office is a blatant lie. They (police) themselves carried the bombs and kept those there.”

He demanded the government reopen the BNP office and release all arrested BNP leaders and activists. He also urged the government to take proper action against those involved in the killing of the Swechchasebak Dal leader.

He called upon the government to take proper steps so that BNP can hold its rally in a peaceful manner.

Asked where their rally will be held on December 10, Fakhrul said they will inform the media on that at the press conference at 3pm today. - UNB