BNP planned to oust govt using Hefajat banner: Ashraful

Syed Ashraful Islam

Awami League General Secretary Syed Ashraful Islam alleged on Thursday that the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) had planned to oust the government using the banner of Hefajat-e Islam long march.
“It (BNP) thought it would take four days to oust us (government) with the help of Jamaat and Hefajat,” Ashraful, also local government and rural development (LGRD) and cooperatives minister, said while speaking at a press briefing at the Jatiya Press Club in the city.
Ashraful said “Hefajat activists fled Dhaka after the rally like cat” as the government took measurers in line with intelligence report.

“They spent around Tk 40 crore but managed to bring only 70,000 people,” he added.
Criticising the Islamist organisation’s long march to Dhaka, the AL leader said: “We are not afraid of only 70,000 Hefajat activists because  Pakistan Army surrendered on December 16, 1971 with 90,000 soldiers.”
He urged the opposition parties to leave “destructive activities” in the name of hartal and join political dialogue with the government.