BNP disciplining accused members, but media isn’t reporting it: Rizvi

BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi stated that the party has taken internal disciplinary action against members accused of misconduct, but these measures are not being reported in the media or acknowledged on social media.

Speaking at the National Press Club on Sunday during a discussion on the book “Theoretical Analysis of Bangladeshi Nationalism: Crisis of Citizen and Nationalist Nationalism,” Rizvi criticized what he described as a media bias that consistently targets the BNP.

“Many people on social media are quick to blame the BNP for everything. But no one is highlighting what actions we are actually taking against the accused,” Rizvi said. “If a BNP person is involved in misconduct, steps are taken. But that never gets publicized.”

Referring to the ongoing controversies surrounding illegal sand extraction and other criminal activities, Rizvi said, “In cases like the Balumahal issue or incidents in Sylhet, people from other political parties are also involved. Even the media has started to reflect this. Still, the public narrative only points fingers at BNP.”

He expressed concern over growing internal division and attempts to pit BNP members against one another. “After August 5, divisive rhetoric has increased—claims of 'we're good, they’re bad' are being amplified,” he said. “The party is addressing internal problems, but it’s not being acknowledged.”

Comparing the party to a family, he added, “Every family can have a misbehaving child. The real question is: are the parents taking corrective steps? BNP is doing that.”

Rizvi also voiced strong criticism of recent developments in student politics at Dhaka University. Referring to the Dhaka University Central Students' Union (DUCSU), he questioned whether its leadership had overstepped legal boundaries.

“Has the DUCSU VP been given magistracy power? How is he collecting fines from local vendors? Where is that money going?” he asked, alleging that the student body appears to be creating a parallel administrative system. “We’ve seen them install iron cots in student dormitories. Is this the role of a student union or a political group?”

He concluded by saying that while BNP is not free of fault, the media’s tendency to isolate the party for public criticism—while ignoring the broader political context—is unjust and damaging to democratic discourse.