BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, strongly criticizing National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman’s comments regarding Tarique Rahman, demanded the adviser’s immediate dismissal from office.
“Dr Khalil’s statement about Tarique Rahman has shocked, surprised, worried, and angered the people of this country,” he said during a press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan headquarters.
Rizvi accused the NSA of mirroring former prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s “fascist tactics” of tarnishing the Zia family’s image.
“There’s no room for state experimentation — Khalil must resign immediately, and his domestic and international status must be made public,” he asserted.
The BNP leader alleged Khalilur deflected scrutiny over his own background by attacking Tarique Rahman, echoing Hasina’s dictatorial propaganda.
Describing the security adviser as a controversial figure, Rizvi said the public deserves answers to pressing questions: Where was he during a decade and a half of fascism? What was his status? In which country did he reside? What was his position abroad? What role did he play against fascism?
Rizvi also went on to accuse the national security adviser of serving foreign interests, known for handing over crucial national infrastructures to foreigners and endangering national security.
The BNP leader warned that Khalilur’s remarks endangered democracy, calling them an attempt to “exact revenge” by tarnishing the image of Tarique Rahman, whose reputation continues to “shine bright” amongst the public.
The backlash follows Khalilur Rahman’s statement on Wednesday, where he said, “If I’m being labelled a foreign citizen simply for residing in the US, then by the same logic, BNP Acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman – who has lived in the UK for years – could be labeled the same.”