BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Monday regretted for his comment criticising the removal of Bangabandhu's photo from Bangabhaban within hours of suggesting that the portrait should not have been removed from the presidential palace.
"I thought that Sheikh Mujib's portrait had been taken down from the Darbar Hall of Bangabhaban where photos of all the presidents are displayed. Actually, the photo was removed from another office room of Bangabhaban," Rizvi said in a press statement.
"Under Sheikh Hasina's fascist regime, a law had been enacted obligating everyone to display portrait of Sheikh Mujib. Fascist laws should have no effectiveness. There should be no sign of misrule anywhere in the offices and courts. I am sorry for the unwarranted remark," he added in the statement.
Earlier in the morning, Rizvi said the photo of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman should not have been taken down.
He went on to say that President Khandaker Mushtaq Ahmed had removed Mujib's portrait, which was replaced by Ziaur Rahman after the November 7 Sipahi-Janata Biplob, he said while inaugurating a free medical camp and blood donation programme marking the "National Revolution and Solidarity Day" of November 7.
"I went through a news item that an adviser of the government Mahfuj Alam said he removed the photo of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman from Bangabhaban," he had said, cautioning that times keep changing.
He further said that contributions of everyone at the national level must be recognised. "If someone has committed a crime, history and the people will judge it," Rizvi said.
"BNP is not as narrow-minded as the Awami League. That is why, I am saying that the portrait of Sheikh Mujib should not have been removed," he said.
A photo of Bangabandhu was removed from the Darbar Hall in Bangabhaban on Monday.
Adviser Mahfuj Alam, in a Facebook post yesterday, said, "The photo of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman—Post '71 fascist, is removed from Darbar Hall. It is a shame for us that we couldn't remove his pictures from Bangabhaban after the 5th of August. Apologies. But, he won't be seen anywhere till people's July spirit lives on."
