Attack on Hadi a planned conspiracy: Rizvi

BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has expressed anger over the attacks on Dhaka-8 independent candidate and Inquilab Mancha spokesperson Sharif Osman Hadi, and BNP-nominated Chattogram-8 candidate Ershad Ullah, saying the incidents are not isolated but part of a planned conspiracy to falsely implicate BNP leaders.

Rizvi made the remarks at a protest rally organised by the BNP in front of its central office in Nayapaltan on Saturday, December 13. The rally was held to protest the attacks on Hadi and Ershad Ullah and to demand swift justice.

He said that within just one to two hours of the attack, a motivated post was circulated on social media making offensive and defamatory remarks against BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas without any investigation.

Raising questions, Rizvi said if culprits can be identified on Facebook within such a short time, then what is the need for an investigation. He likened the situation to falsely denying guilt while evidence is obvious.

Rizvi noted that many influential political leaders from different parties have long lived in the area, including Shantinagar, Shahjahanpur and Khilgaon, yet none had ever faced such an attack. He questioned why Sharif Osman Hadi was suddenly targeted.

He said Hadi had never spoken against Mirza Abbas, nor politically attacked or harassed him. “Is being an independent candidate in Dhaka-8 his crime?” Rizvi asked.

He also criticised a recently former Dhaka University student leader for labelling a senior national leader a gangster on social media without investigation, saying such indecent language was never used by student leaders in the past.

Rizvi said the police commissioner himself informed the media that the attackers had been identified and important information had emerged in the investigation, adding that this was not a BNP claim but a statement from a responsible state agency.

The public and the administration now understand who is behind this dangerous conspiracy, Rizvi said, adding that while BNP has fought for democracy, some quarters have tried to create a culture of chaos in the country after August 5. He warned that mob rule can never establish good governance, justice or democracy.

He demanded a fair investigation and exemplary punishment for the real perpetrators.

BNP standing committee member Mirza Abbas and joint secretary general Abdus Salam also addressed the rally.