Proposal for dialogue worth cheating nation

Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon speaks at a press conference at the Asad auditorium in the city yesterday.. PHOTO: STAR

At a press conference at the party office in the city, the leaders also threatened to launch a peoples' movement if attempts are made by the government to establish a military rule in case of its failure to run the country constitutionally.

They identified patronisation and organisational support of Jamaat-e-Islami to Islamic militants, their training and ideological inspiration in madrasas of Islamic Oikya Jote and finance by the international Islamic NGOs as key players for the rise of militancy.

The leaders alleged that the BNP wanted to cling to power with the support of these forces, which is why it took no action against the Islamic parties, ministers and lawmakers having specific allegations of being involved in militants' operations.

In a written statement, Workers' Party General Secretary Bimal Biswas said even after the countywide bomb blasts the government did not discuss the issue in parliament.

In stead, it dramatically arrested some JMB activists who were released later on.

"Rise of militancy is not an issue of adventure of some people like Bangla Bhai or Shaikh Abdur Rahman. It is the part of a blueprint of the defeated forces of 1971 who are now operating militant activities in a bid to establish a religion-based state to take revenge of their defeat,” he said, adding, "Unless religion-based politics is banned, militancy cannot be stopped."

"The noticeable matter is that the militant activities have been strengthened immediately after the 14-party opposition combine's declaration of 23-point demand to establish a non-communal democracy in the country," he said.

Workers' Party President Rashed Khan Menon said the Islamic parties are now threatening the government with dire consequences if it conducts searches in madrasas."

Criticising the government's move to suppress the media, he said it is aimed at keeping the countrymen in darkness. All should resist the move, he added.

Party leaders Haider Akbar Khan Rono, Nurul Hossain, Fazle Hossain Badsha, and Hazera Sultana were preset at the press conference.