Banskhali massacre part of a blueprint to force out minority: AL

"This government should quit as it has failed to ensure the safety of life and property of people and the Banskhali carnage is the latest proof of this."

"The ruling alliance cannot shirk its responsibility," said AL presidium member Abdus Samad Azad MP, who led a five-member team of central AL leadership to Shilpara yesterday morning.

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He was holding a press briefing in the afternoon on the incident in which 11 of a family were burnt to death on November 18 midnight.

"In a civilised world, this type of gruesome carnage is beyond anybody's imagination and such incidents were taking place every now and then since the BNP-led four-party government came to power in 2001," alleged Samad Azad.

Samad Azad criticised the "government's all-out attempt" to paint the incident as a robbery. He also condemned police for their indifferent attitude in probing the case.

"Neither any real culprit arrested nor any clue has been unearthed so far," Azad said.

"Khaleda Zia should resign as she did not yet visit the spot," the elderly AL leader and lawmaker deplored.

Other members of the delegation were Abdur Razzak MP, Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmad and Mukul Bose.

Likening the arson attack to the dreadful incidents during the war of liberation in '71, Amir Hossain Amu said none could tolerate such brutality.

Abdur Razzak MP alleged that the arson was carried out from the shelter of the ruling party trying to "eliminate the minority from the country".

Tofail Ahmed said the number of such incidents would continue to rise as long as the BNP-led coalition government stayed in power.

They talked with relatives and neighbours of the victims at Shilpara. In the afternoon, they went to a local clinic to see Dr. Bimalendu Shushil, the lone survivor of the Banskhali bloodbath.

They said Opposition leader and AL chief Sheikh Hasina will visit Banskhali next Tuesday (Dec 2).