It'll be govt's political funeral

The BNP yesterday came down heavily on the lawmakers who had clamoured in parliament for arresting the chief of the party, Khaleda Zia.

“It seems parliament has been turned into a club house of the Awami League-led grand alliance government where a competition for abusing the Zia family is underway,” party Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said in a statement.

The BNP leader also said arresting Khaleda at a time when the protesters were “taking to the streets despite the so-called gunfights and crossfire” would result in the “illegal government's political funeral.”

In an unscheduled discussion in parliament's Thursday session, several MPs described the violence during the BNP-led alliance's ongoing blockade and hartals as “acts of terrorism”, and demanded Khaleda's arrest and trial on those counts.

Amir Hossain Amu, Tofail Ahmed, Suranjit Sengupta, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Abdul Matin Khasru, Jahangir Kabir Nanak and Chief Whip ASM Firoz of the AL; Ziauddin Ahmed Bablu and Kazi Firoz Rashid of the JP; and independent lawmakers Hazi Muhammad Selim and Nixon Chowdhury, among others, took part in the discussion.

Nixon Chowdhury even walked out of the House protesting at not arresting Khaleda for "masterminding killings". So far, 30 people have died in the anti-government programmes since January 6.

The BNP leader also lambasted State Minister for Home Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal for saying legal ways were being considered for arresting Khaleda.

“Under the current management, any legal step will mean the gradual implementation of the prime minister's orders,” he said.

Taking a dig at Sheikh Selim for his adverse remark on Khaleda in parliament, Rizvi said,” Selim said Khaleda Zia would be tried in public only to please his sister Sheikh Hasina.”

He also criticised the government for its directives on the media to “spread only the government messages to people.”

Meanwhile, Peshajibi Parishad, a pro-BNP platform, yesterday announced to hold human chains across the country on January 27 demanding a national election under a non-party administration.

At a programme at the Jatiya Press Club, Ruhul Amin Gazi, the platform's acting convenor, made this announcement.

Gazi also claimed yesterday that the BNP Chairperson was inclined to hold talks if the government initiated meaningful steps for a dialogue. 

"I am ready to sit for talks if the government takes meaningful initiatives for a dialogue," Khaleda Zia was quoted as saying by Gazi.

Gazi said this while briefing reporters after more than a hour-long meeting with Khaleda at her Gushan office.