Trial of only opposition leaders not acceptable

BNP coordinator Tariqul Islam yesterday said people would not accept if the government only tries "some identified" opposition leaders in connection with crimes against humanity to implement a specific party's agenda.
“There will be no national solidarity if only some identified opposition leaders are tried,” he said while addressing a discussion at the capital's Engineers Institute.
Tariqul, also a BNP standing committee member, said crimes against humanity had taken place during the Liberation War. "We do support the trial of those who had committed war crimes at that time."
But such crimes had also taken place during post Liberation War period. Even, crimes against humanity are also happening now, he said.
"I will, therefore, ask the government: let us all come forward and try those, who committed crimes against humanity, through impartial and transparent way and thus get rid of the sins,” added Tariqul.
The BNP leader also criticised the prime minister for awarding a police member, who was allegedly involved in manhandling Opposition Chief Whip Zainul Abdin Farroque last year.
“What an irony that the police officer, who had manhandled our opposition chief whip, was awarded with President's Medal.
"On the other hand, the premier was saying that they don't want to use police force as political weapons,” Tariqul told the discussion.
Jatiyatabadi Mohila Dal organised the discussion marking the 77th birth anniversary of late president Ziaur Rahman, also founder of BNP.
In two other programmes in the capital yesterday, Opposition Chief Whip Farroque and BNP's Vice-chairman Abdullah Al Noman reiterated the opposition's demand for restoring the caretaker government system.
At a briefing in the BNP's head office in the capital yesterday, BNP standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain claimed that he did not threaten the prime minister while speaking at a party meeting recently.
“I did not say anything against the premier. I just mentioned the government's failure in my speech,” he said.
Earlier on January 20, a Dhaka court summoned Mosharraf before it on February 7, hours after an Awami League leader filed a defamation case against him.
In the case statement, the complainant mentioned that Mosharraf threatened Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with death and also defamed her while addressing a press conference at Jatiya Press Club on December 31.