Bangladesh News

Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Khaleda Zia said yesterday the killers in the BDR massacre were ‘foreign spies’ and it needs to be known whether they are from ‘within the present government’.

“I don’t believe any Bangladeshis were involved in this killing. The killers were hired from outside and entered the Pilkhana headquarters in BDR uniform,” the BNP chairperson said while addressing a mourning procession organised by her party to pay respects to all killed in the BDR mutiny.

“Bangladesh is under attack. A conspiracy is going on, that is why unity is necessary now,” she said calling on all people to remain united and alert to safeguard the sovereignty of the country.

Khaleda alleged that delays were caused in the name of dialogues during the mutiny to give the killers a chance to escape.

She said the BDR incident proves that spies of foreign forces have infiltrated into all sectors of the country and have been launching attacks from ‘within’.

Terming the Pilkhana carnage a deep-rooted conspiracy against the security of the country, Khaleda Zia said more serious problems would crop up if the incident is not investigated properly and the culprits brought to justice.

She warned that ‘More blood would be spilled and more damage incurred’ if the real criminals are not punished.

“We guessed the conspiracy before the election, even our arrests were part of it to place the army in this difficult position before the people,” the former premier alleged.

She said the nation’s independence and sovereignty had been affected by this incident.

‘The force protecting the borders of the country has been destroyed through outside instigations and a large number of army officers killed — this was nothing but a deep rooted conspiracy to divide the country, Khaleda said.

She called on the members of the armed forces to show patience and the people to remain united during this tough period of time.

The BNP leader also claimed that a huge number of lives would not have been lost if action was taken on time. She also questioned why delays were made and the army was ‘prevented’ from entering Pilkhana.

Referring to the prime minister’s meeting with BDR rebels Khaleda Zia asked, “Did you (the prime minister) ask the rebels if the army officers were still alive?”

“People understand the intention behind announcement of a general amnesty without asking rebels about the officers and their family members,” she told the gathering of her party activists and leaders.

The leader of the opposition also called on the government to admit its failure and take quick action against the rebels.

She said, “We are still ready to respond if the government wants cooperation,” but alleged that the government was not willing to discuss the matter with the opposition.

Expressing her deep condolence at the killing of army officials, Khaleda Zia said the families of those killed should be compensated and properly rehabilitated.

Wearing black badges and carrying black flags, hundreds of BNP leaders and activists attended the procession led by its chairperson from the party office at Naya Paltan to the National Press Club at Topkhana Road.