Dhaka: The ‘administrative committees’, formed by the government with ruling party men, to resist militancy are harassing opposition leaders and activists, alleges Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) senior leader Nazrul Islam Khan.

‘The government has formed administrative committees at different parts of the country with only Awami League leaders and activists in the name of resisting militants. They (ruling party men) are harassing leaders and activists of BNP and its associate bodies by implicating them in false and fabricated charges,’ he said.

Nazrul, also a BNP standing committee member, came up with the allegation at a press briefing at the party’s central office in Dhaka, reports UNB.

He alleged that the government is covering up the real offenders and encouraging them by arresting BNP leaders and activists instead of militants and extremists. ‘We demand the government immediately stop its repression on the opposition.’

The BNP leader said their many leaders and activists were arrested in different districts, including Thakurgaon, Satkhira, and Feni.

He said the government has ruined the prospect of a mass resistance against militancy and terrorism by ignoring BNP chairperson’s call for forging a national unity and blaming the opposition for the terror attacks.

Raising a doubt about the government’s sincerity to eliminate militancy, Nazrul said the government is not willing to tackle extremism as it wants to use it as a weapon to subdue the opposition.

‘We think it has already been proved that militancy can’t be tackled only by the administration or different forces… so, it’s imperative to forge a national unity with all parties as militancy can be eliminated only by people’s strong and united resistance.’ he observed.

The BNP leader said their party has been working to mobilise public opinion against militancy and terrorism. ‘We may take any organisational activities together with other parties eager to work against militancy.’

Mentioning that the Prime Minister at a programme in Canada said her government has been showing zero tolerance against repression on women, Nazrul said the day she made the comment the same day news on the sexual scandal by a lawmaker’s son surfaced in different newspapers.

‘Reports on the incidents of violence against women and children now have become newspapers’ standing matters. Reports on rape are published every day. Even, there’s a report on the suicide of a raped woman in today’s (Monday’s) newspapers,’ he said.