Senior leaders of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) have accused Indian policymakers of conspiring to rehabilitate the ruling Awami League and undermine the opposition.
Speaking at multiple events on Friday, top BNP figures claimed the efforts intensified after a reported meeting between acting BNP Chairman Tarique Rahman and Nobel laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus in London.
At a visit to injured BNP activist Taher Thakur in Chatmohar, Pabna, senior joint secretary general Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said India began targeting the BNP after the meeting.
“Whenever they see Tarique Rahman and Dr. Yunus together, propaganda starts pouring in from across the border,” Rizvi said. “There’s now a deliberate campaign of slander and misinformation.”
BNP Calls for Broader Alliance
In Dhaka later that day, BNP’s Shahiduddin Chowdhury Annie addressed a media discussion at Jagannath University.
He emphasized the need for a national unity government formed through consensus among anti-authoritarian forces.
“We must be prepared for that opportunity,” Annie said. “All forces opposed to fascism must come together to build a reformed political future.”
Tarique Rahman’s Return Anticipated
BNP standing committee member Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, attending a milad mahfil for late Gono Forum leader Mostafa Mohsin Montu, said Tarique Rahman is preparing to return to Bangladesh.
“People are eagerly waiting for his return,” he said. “And we’re committed to ensuring fair elections, with broad participation and reasonable costs.”
He hinted that dialogues with other parties would soon determine the political roadmap.
Mirza Fakhrul Urges Nationwide Cooperation
In a separate event in Thakurgaon, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul said core national institutions have deteriorated over the last 15 years.
He cited recent student protests and sacrifices as evidence of a rising democratic movement.
“A new opportunity has emerged through student uprisings,” Fakhrul said. “We owe it to the fallen to carry this forward.”
He called on citizens from all backgrounds and political beliefs to work together in rebuilding the country.
“The responsibility to fix this nation belongs to everyone,” he said. “It’s time for unity, not division.”
BNP leaders made no mention of any formal contact with Indian authorities regarding their allegations. The Indian government has not responded publicly to the claims.
