Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Sunday said snatching people’s voting rights and democracy is tantamount to indulging in militancy and extremism.

“When anything bad happens, the opposition is blamed for it without any investigation. I want to urge the government restore people’s basic rights that you have obliterated,” said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

He came up with the comment at a discussion at National Press Club arranged by Swadhinata Forum.

The BNP leader alleged that question has arisen in public mind following a fresh drive at a militant den in the capital's Askona area as the government earlier had claimed that it eliminated militancy.

“People are in doubt whether the government is staging a drama over the drive only to get credit from people for eliminating militancy,” he said.

Rizvi urged the government to unite the nation instead of staging any drama to ensure peace and resist social menace like extremism with united efforts. 

“We want to unequivocally say extremism is the enemy of humanity and an obstacle to human progress. BNP never ever supported militancy and will not do it in the future as well,” he added.