Dhaka, Aug. 2 -- Leader of the Opposition in Parliament and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Dr Shafiqur Rahman on Sunday accused the BNP of resorting to the same authoritarian practices that opposition parties had faced during the fascist Awami League regime, urging the party to respect the people's mandate and democratic values.

Addressing a discussion, titled "Jan Debo, July Debo Na", organised by the Bangladesh Labour Party at the Jatiya Press Club, he said both Jamaat and BNP had endured over 17 years of repression before the political change brought by the July movement.

"After the bloodstained movement that brought change, we are now seeing a photocopy of what the fascists used to do," Shafiqur said, alleging that BNP has embrace...