BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Wednesday said the ongoing unrest in the Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) during the Durga Puja celebrations is part of a ‘national and international conspiracy’ aimed at destabilising Bangladesh.
“Some countries want to keep Hasina in power so that they can keep Bangladesh under their control forever. They are still trying to do that. Why is there unrest in the hills at the border during Puja? There are many Hindu communities there too. Why has the unrest suddenly been created there? This is a planned move at this time of the festival,” he said.
Speaking to reporters after visiting a Puja mandap at Paltan Community Centre in the capital, Rizvi said it is a national and international plot to destabilise Bangladesh.
“Those who could not accept Sheikh Hasina’s fall are the ones carrying out this conspiracy during Durga Puja. They want to create incidents that will damage Bangladesh’s image abroad. That is why they are making this attempt,” he observed.
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The BNP leader alleged that Hasina wanted to establish her own rule, creating a scope for her children, nephews and relatives to take control of the country’s assets.
He said Hasina also tried to turn Bangladesh into a family dynasty, as if the country was her father’s property – treating it like her personal possession and private estate.
Referring to the festive atmosphere at the Puja mandaps, Rizvi said people of all parties and religions were coming together on this occasion of Puja beyond political divisions, creating a rare and extraordinary bond. “But there are still attempts to break this harmony.”
He said their party has continued efforts to ensure the Durga Puja celebrations remain safe and peaceful, with sincerity from people of all parties and backgrounds. “Yet, there have been subversive attempts, carried out either from a neighbouring country or by those within our society who remain in hiding.” .
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Rizvi also recalled that Muslims and Hindus had fought together in the Liberation War of 1971 without any communal division, and again united in the struggles against autocracy — whether in 1990 or in 2024. “Now too, we must work together to protect our communal harmony and resist conspiracies.”
The BNP leader urged Hindus and Muslims to remain united to foil all plots. “Everyone has taken a pledge to protect the Puja so it can be held peacefully. Until the festival ends, we must stand as a strong wall to defend this celebration.”