Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Thursday expressed its fear that the Prime Minister’s comments on the Gaibandha MP Manjurul Islam Liton’s murder may divert the investigation into the incident to a different direction.

“After the murder of Gaibandha MP Manjurul Islam Liton, we demanded a fair probe into it. Unfortunately, it’s not happening as the Prime Minister herself has taken an initiative to divert it to a different direction,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Speaking at a press conference, he further said, “You’ve noticed that his (Liton’s) family has already alleged that their party (AL) men or family members might have been involved in the killing. By making advance comments on the incident, the Prime Minister is giving law enforcers a directive as to what they should do.”

At a joint meeting of Awami League Central Working Committee and its Advisory Council at Ganobhaban on Wednesday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina blamed Jamaat-e-Islami for the murder of MP Liton.

“He (Liton) was always against Jamaat and he did not allow Ghulam Azam to hold a meeting there (Gaibandha).  Since then, Jamaat had been angry with him and there were several attempts to kill him. Finally, they’ve succeeded,” she said.

Fakhrul denounced the Prime Minister’s comment on the murder before the completion of investigation.

He also demanded the government identify the real offenders through a fair probe and put them on trial.

The BNP leader said the way Awami League is trying to divert various incidents to different directions will contribute to a rise in violence and conflict. “They (govt) are pampering the offenders. Don’t deal with the serious incidents in such a manner as the real offenders will remain out of touch for it.”

He also warned that if the real offenders do not get punished, it will gradually take the situation to out of control.

Awami League MP Liton died at a hospital after he was shot by unknown assailants at his home at Shahbaz in Gaibandha's Sundarganj upazila on Saturday.