Dhaka: BNP senior leader Hafizuddin Ahmed on Saturday accused Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan of giving the police a freehand to cross the limit.

‘Police are now desperate as they have become the force of a particular party. They’re now getting engaged in political activities… our police force was not like this in the past. They’ve a glorious tradition of doing many good works,’ he told a discussion.

Referring to pushing a tea-seller to death and torturing two government officials allegedly by police recently in the city, the BNP leader further said, ‘The Home Minister yesterday (Friday) said police always carry out good jobs. But, we see them crossing their limit for giving such a wholesale license.’

All Community Forum, a pro-BNP platform, organised the programme at the Jatiya Press Club.

Hafiz a BNP vice chairman, urged the civil society members to raise their voice against the misdeeds of the government and police force.

‘Bangladesh is now a portrait of misrule. This country has now turned into a police state,’ he observed.

Terming very shocking the death of tea-seller Babul Mattabbar, he regretted that no one is registering their protest against such heinous act.

He called upon Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina not to annihilate democracy as it will only invite emergence of militancy. ‘Political parties will gradually lose their existence and militants will emerge as dominant force if there is no democracy,’ he cautioned.