BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday condemned the recent attack on Baul artists, describing it as a “heinous act of fanatics.”

Speaking to reporters after inaugurating the Thakurgaon district BNP office, Fakhrul emphasized that Bauls are an integral part of Bangladesh’s rural cultural heritage. “This is not right, it is not desirable for anyone to choose the path of such violence,” he said, urging a fair investigation into the incident.

He also expressed concern over the plight of slum dwellers affected by the recent fire in Dhaka’s Karail slum, calling it an “extreme blow” for the poor. Fakhrul demanded immediate government action to rehabilitate the victims and stressed that those responsible should be brought to justice.

Addressing questions about potential conspiracies behind fire incidents, Fakhrul dismissed such fears, attributing them instead to structural weaknesses, mismanagement, negligence in factories, and inadequate fire safety systems. “Proper law enforcement and functional fire safety systems would make it much easier to prevent such accidents,” he said.

The inauguration was attended by district BNP president Mirza Faisal Amin, general secretary Poygam Ali, and leaders and activists from various BNP organs and affiliated organizations.