Extrajudicial killings during Interim Govt are unfortunate: Mirza Fakhrul

BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has strongly condemned the alleged extrajudicial killing of Jubo Dal leader Towhidul Islam, demanding that the perpetrators be held accountable to prevent further such incidents.

Speaking at a clothes distribution program in Uttara, Dhaka, Fakhrul accused law enforcement of torturing Towhidul to death after he was picked up by joint forces. �We have long spoken against extrajudicial killings, illegal arrests, and custodial deaths during Hasina�s rule. It is deeply saddening that another Jubo Dal leader has been killed in custody,� he said.

Towhidul Islam, 42, convener of Panchthuri union Jubo Dal in Cumilla Sadar upazila, was allegedly taken from his home early Friday and later died at Cumilla Medical College Hospital. Family members claim he was tortured to death, with physicians identifying marks of abuse on his body.

Fakhrul asserted that many BNP leaders and activists, including former MP Ilias Ali and Uttara Chhatra Dal leader Munna, have been victims of enforced disappearances and state violence. �We want an end to these crimes. The offenders must be brought to justice,� he demanded.

The BNP leader called on party members to maintain discipline and refrain from criminal activities such as extortion and land grabbing. �Those who engage in such acts are enemies of the country and the party,� he stated, urging leaders to gain the people�s trust and secure electoral victory.

In a separate statement, Fakhrul also raised concerns over whether elements within the administration loyal to the Awami League were involved in Towhidul�s death. He emphasized that no state force has the right to take the law into its own hands. �No matter how powerful the criminal is, they must face justice legally. The state cannot justify torture and murder,� he said.

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi also condemned the killing, drawing parallels between this incident and similar abuses during the Awami League government. He expressed concerns over the implications of such violence under the current interim government led by Dr. Muhammad Yunus.

�Our fears are growing. Why is this happening under Dr. Yunus� tenure? The people fought to remove a repressive government, yet we see the same atrocities recurring,� Rizvi questioned.

He warned that if such actions continue, the sacrifices made during the July uprising will be rendered meaningless. �People will not tolerate a repeat of Sheikh Hasina�s oppressive rule,� he said, reaffirming BNP�s demand for justice for Towhidul Islam�s killing.