BNP to hold division- level programmes for Khaleda Zia’s release

BNP yesterday announced programmes at divisional level in the next four weeks, to realise its demand for immediate release of the party’s imprisoned Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

“We will go for a movement under democratic manner within four weeks, to ensure release of our party’s Chairperson Khaleda Zia from jail,” BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told a press briefing at Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan office in Dhaka yesterday evening after a standing committee meeting of the party. 

BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman joined the meeting via Skype.

As part of the programmes, demonstrations will be held at divisional-level headquarters across the country and BNP’s central leaders will attend the programmes, Fakhrul said.

He, however, did not share details of when the movement will kick off.

The government is creating barriers to hinder the bail of Khaleda Zia, Fakhrul alleged.

Fakhrul also criticised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for claiming that the person responsible for “pillow scam” in Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant was a former leader of Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD).

In reply to a question in the parliament on June 17, the prime minister said she came to know that the person responsible for the procurement of pillows for employees of the plant at extravagant price -- was vice president of Buet Students Union from JCD.

Fakhrul said they collected details of engineer Masudul Haque. He was not from Buet, but a civil engineering student of Khulna University of Engineering and Technology. He never belonged to Chhatra Dal, he added. “The prime minister’s claim was blatant lie, unexpected and unacceptable.”

BNP at the meeting also condemned the incident of abduction of Sohel Taj’s nephew, Fazkhrul said. He raised concerns over the disappearance of BNP leaders and activists, saying the government couldn’t even give any information about them although they have been missing for years.