BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has claimed that the recent murder incident in Mitford was the result of a personal conflict, not a political one. Speaking at a program in Uttara on Saturday, he accused certain political parties of trying to exploit the situation by giving it a political color.
“The tragic incident that occurred has no connection with politics,” Rizvi said. “Yet, some political parties are attempting to politicize it for their own gain.”
Referring to the clash that led to the murder, Rizvi stated, “Where is the party’s involvement here? There was no clash over party positions or ideology. The dispute was over business—this is a personal matter. It’s the responsibility of the authorities and law enforcement to uncover the facts.”
Rizvi emphasized that while the BNP is a large political family, it is not always possible to keep track of every individual. “Sometimes wrongdoers may enter through a loophole. But if they are identified, the party or Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman never hesitates to take action against them.”
Speaking further on the Mitford incident, he said, “There had been an ongoing feud between the victim and the attackers for a long time. The scenario has only recently escalated. Some ward-level individuals might be involved in business activities, but such matters are not always known to central or even city-level leaders. Still, anyone involved in crime or violence will not be spared.”
Rizvi also criticized certain political parties for trying to hold the BNP responsible through street protests. “If we were like Sheikh Hasina—silent in the face of crime, and unwilling to take action against perpetrators—then the blame might have held weight. But we have condemned the incident and taken action. So, why the protests? It’s clearly an attempt to gain political mileage.”
In a pointed remark aimed at a rival political party, Rizvi added, “We haven’t forgotten your past atrocities—how students at Rajshahi and Chittagong Universities were brutally attacked, how a Chhatra Dal leader was dragged from a bus and killed in Binodpur. People haven’t forgotten your cruelty. Ignoring BNP’s constructive actions to gain cheap political points will lead nowhere.”
