Dhaka: Claiming that journalists Shafik Rehman and Mahmudur Rahman had no involvement in any plot against Prime Minister’s son, BNP on Wednesday alleged that the government has come up with the issue only to divert people’s attention from Bangladesh Bank heist and college student Tonu murder.

‘As per the statements of head of the government and police about the case, it’s a serious allegation. Not only the two (journalists), but also they yesterday (Tuesday) charged BNP with it. We think it’s a part of the government’s nervousness as there’s a pent-up anger among people against it due to its despotic rule,’ said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

He further said, ‘You’ve long been seeing whenever the government’s any failure or misdeed is surfaced, it carries out another incident to divert people’s attention to a different direction. When the big heist took place in Bangladesh Bank and people from all walks of life are taking to streets against Tonu murder, they’ve brought the issue (plot against Joy) in the limelight to mislead people.’

The BNP leader came up with the remarks while speaking at a discussion arranged by National People’s Party (NPP) at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) demanding the release of all political prisoners, including Shafik Rehman and Mahmudur Rahman.

On Saturday morning, detectives arrested journalist Shafik Rehman, former editor of the Bangla daily Jaijaidin. He was later put on a five-day remand in a case filed in connection with a conspiracy to abduct and kill Prime Minister’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy.

Detectives also claimed that they have found the involvement of detained Amar Desh editor Mahmudur Rahman, another pro-BNP journalist, in the alleged conspiracy against Joy.

Fakhrul said they have so far come to know that Shafik Rehman and Mahmudur Rahman were in no way involved in any plot to kill and abduct Joy.

He also said though the government is giving the references of FBI and a US court about the plot against the PM’s son, BNP did not get any such information.

The BNP leader said the current government cannot tolerate dissent views. ‘They oppressed the nonconformists. Leaders and activists of BNP and the 20-party have long been tortured, but now they (govt) have not spared even Mahfuz Anam (The Daily Star Editor) as they filed 86 cases against him.’

Fakhrul said their chairperson at their party’s council had called for a national unity and consensus putting aside politics of vengeance and killing to ensure people’s welfare. ‘But it’s unfortunate that they responded to the call by arresting Shafik Rehman and implicating Mahmudur Rahman in false cases and accusing BNP of a plot.’

He said BNP does not believe in any politics and vengeance and plot. ‘BNP never came to power resorting to plot as it always did it with people’s support.’

The BNP leader renewed his party’s call for holding a fresh election under a neutral government and Election Commission shunning ‘plot, vengeance and anti-democratic’ stance.