Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus has described the attack on Inquilab Mancha spokesperson and Dhaka-8 constituency’s prospective independent candidate Sharif Osman Hadi as premeditated and part of a deeper conspiracy, adding that a major force was behind the assassination attempt on Friday.
On Saturday, leaders of BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, and the National Citizen Party (NCP) met at state guesthouse Jamuna to meet with Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.
In attendance at the meeting were BNP Standing Committee members Salahuddin Ahmed and Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, Jamaat’s Secretary General Mia Golam Parwar and Assistant Secretary General Advocate Ehsanul Mahboob Zubair, NCP Convenor Nahid Islam, NCP’s Chief Organiser for the southern region Hasnat Abdullah, Inquilab Mancha Secretary Abdullah Al Jaber, and Law Adviser Asif Nazrul.
Party leaders at the described the attack on Osman Hadi as part of a conspiracy to negate the July Uprising. However, they also said that their respective parties were united in the fight against such efforts.
The chief adviser said, “The attack on Osman Hadi was premeditated and is part of a deep conspiracy; there’s a massive force behind this.”
He further said, “The objective of the conspirators is to prevent the election from happening. This was a very symbolic attack. With the attack, they want to demonstrate their strength and to derail all preparations for the election. We must stand united against these efforts.”
He said that, according to the information received so far, it appeared that the conspirators have expanded their network and have deployed trained shooters into the field.”
In the meeting, political parties decided to hold an all-party protest rally in response to the attack on Osman Hadi, the date for which will be announced at a later date.
BNP, Jamaat, and NCP leaders agreed that communication among political parties need to be increased to prevent cracks in the anti-fascist political unity. They said that the parties will take a firm stance on this matter.
Furthermore, they emphasised conducting strict illegal arms recovery drives before the election.
BNP leader Salahuddin Ahmed said, “In this situation, we must remain united. Under no circumstances should we point fingers at each other.”
He advised intensifying drives for illegal arms recovery and operations against the conspirators.
Jamaat leader Golam Parwar said, “Recently, our statements have become increasingly accusatory against each other, which has given our opponents an opportunity to conspire. We must reunite as we once were.”
NCP Convener Nahid Islam said that, ever since the previous government’s ouster last year, people have been carrying out various subversive activities to undermine the July Uprising.
He said, “A well-organised campaign against July is ongoing. This is happening at various levels of the media and administration. Those who come to power after the election will also be its victims. No one can govern alone.”
He said, “They are creating such a narrative in the media regarding the uprising that it seems those who carried out the uprising had committed a crime. Various efforts are underway to normalise the Awami League and the Jatiya Party. The conspirators see our disunity as our defeat. They are doing whatever they want from India, and we cannot do anything,” he said.
Asif Nazrul said that, since the political parties have been fighting each other, it has allowed the Awami League forces to become even stronger.
Urging all political parties to remain united, he said, “You must be vigilant, not only regarding your own party interests, but also about national interests as a whole.”
On Friday, miscreants opened fire on Osman Hadi in the Box Culvert area of Bijoynagar in the capital. He was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital in critical condition.
Later, as his condition deteriorated, he was transferred to Evercare Hospital for advanced treatment.
