BNP on Tuesday alleged that its ‘innocent’ leaders and activists have been convicted in “false and politically motivated” old cases as part of the government’s new master plan for hanging onto power by holding the next general election without voters.

 “The government has started implementing another new master plan centring on the upcoming election. Lakhs of political cases were filed against our leaders and activists earlier to harass them, and now gradual conviction has started in those cases,” said party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

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Speaking at a press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office, he said 10 BNP leaders and activists were sentenced to five years' imprisonment in a ‘fictitious’ case filed with Bhasantek Police Station under the Explosive Substances Act.

“No such incident has taken place for which they have been charged with and convicted subsequently. All these acts have started at the behest of Sheikh Hasina,” the BNP leader observed.

He also said had the court not been in the ‘grip’ of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, then everyone would have been acquitted in the ‘false’ case. “BNP leaders and activists are being convicted one after another (as per govt master plan) for staying in power illegally and holding the next election without voters.”

Rizvi said the Nazi face of the state has been exposed through the conviction of ‘innocent’ BNP leaders and activists by implicating them in ‘false’ cases. “This conviction is one of the examples of the inhumane acts the government will resort to until the national election is over.”

He alleged that police filed ‘false' and 'fabricated' cases against BNP leaders and activists to suppress them and foil their movement.

Since the misdeeds of the government have been gradually exposed in the country and abroad, the BNP leader said their party leaders and activists are being convicted to mislead people and divert their attention to a different direction.

He urged the government to shun the ‘foul’ play of eliminating the opposition and annihilating democracy.

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Rizvi said police on Monday night arrested Narayanganj district unit BNP acting convener Monirul Islam Robi as per the government move to thwart BNP’s ongoing movement.

He demanded the government immediately release Robi and withdraw the false cases against their party leaders and activists.