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BNP, allies found involved in militancy: Bangla Home Minister
Some leaders of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its radical ally Jamaat-e-Islami have been "involved in militant activities", the Home Minister said on Friday.
Some leaders of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its radical ally Jamaat-e-Islami have been "involved in militant activities", the Home Minister said on Friday.
"Some leaders of the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami were found involved with militant activities when the (earlier BNP-led) four-party alliance was in power," Home Minister Sahara Khatun said.
She added that the Awami League led government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was determined to bring them to justice "to make sure that militancy does not grow in the country."
The ruling party has accused a section of the past BNP regime of patronising militancy during its 2001-2006 tenure. Two junior ministers of Khaleda Zia's government are in jail facing trial for their alleged links to banned Islamist groups Harkatul Jihad (HuJI) and Jamaatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).
Former state minister for home Lutfuzzaman Babar last month reportedly claimed that Zia's elder son Tarique Rahman was involved in the deadly August 21, 2004 grenade attack on Hasina' rally that killed 24 people and injured over 300.
Media reports quoting investigators said that former junior minister for home Babar told them that Zia's son Rahman had asked him not take actions following the attack.
