A free hit for BNP? The BNP and its allies have been continuing a violent anti-government movement for over two months, but only in a:Daily Sun

The BNP and its allies have been continuing a violent anti-government movement for over two months, but only in a peculiar style. They are using brutal means, including firebombs and arson attacks, to compel the unwilling people to observe their programmes, but are carrying on themselves all normal businesses by using cars, running shops and keeping the factories open. In other words, BNP leaders
are holding the people hostage at gunpoint to achieve their political goal without hampering their personal and commercial interests. BNP leaders are violating hartal, while the innocent people are burnt to death. “We do not face any problem for hartal. From 10:00am to 6:00pm, our office works continue as usual. We are receiving booking orders for picnic, travel or resort. Just now we are holding a meeting with customers. Our resort and picnic spots are also open. There are special packages and no problem in movement exists.” This was stated at 3:30pm during hartal on Wednesday by Mahbubur Rahman, senior manager of reservation division, Jamuna Resorts. The owner of this commercial enterprise is Abdul Awal Mintoo, advisor to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. The huge Monno Ceramics factory at Islampur in Dhamrai is owned by former minister and BNP leader Harun-or Rashid Khan Monno. It was found there yesterday that the establishment was in full operation. At 7:30am yesterday, it was seen at Asad Gate that buses of ‘Hanif’ Paribahan were plying the streets. One of the owners of Hanif Paribahan is BNP- backed road transport leader Kafiluddin.  Manager of Hanif Paribahan, Rajshahi, Monzur Rahman Khokon said that from 6:00am to 4:00pm every day, our 16 to 18 passenger buses go to Dhaka. During the hartal hours on Wednesday, a microbus of Partex Group carrying some passengers was seen passing through the Framgate area. The owner of Partex Group is former MP Abul Hashem of BNP.   Like the central leaders, the grass-roots leaders of BNP are also not lagging behind in running businesses violating the hartal called by their own party. According to sources, although BNP has been calling non-stop blockade and frequent hartals over the last two months, the leaders of BNP are not observing the programmes. (With inputs from Toufique Maruf.)