Int'l body formed to secure release of Khaleda

Expatriate BNP leaders and supporters have formed a 501-member committee titled 'Khaleda Zia Antorjatik Mukti Andolon' to wage movement worldwide against the arrest of the former prime minister and secure her release.
The committee, which was formed at a meeting of the BNP leaders, supporters and well wishers in New York on last Monday, decided to hold agitation programme in front of the United Nations on next Friday, reports News World from New York.
Presided over by BNP leader Abul Hashem Bulbul, the meeting was attended by BNP US Branch General Secretary Zillur Rahman Zillu as chief speaker.
The meeting was moderated by Organising Secretary Belal Mahmud.
The BNP leaders and supporters at the meeting said they would wage the movement worldwide including Canada, United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Belgium, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, Kuwait, Qatar and Australia.
Besides lobbying, Khaleda Zia Antorjatik Mukti Andolon will also stage agitation and protest meeting in front of White House and State Department, they said.
Demanding immediate release of Khaleda, her sons Tarique Rahman and Arafat Rahman Koko, the speakers said these arrests were part of conspiracies to destroy the nationalist politics.
They also conducted a teleconference with BNP leaders and supporters in various states of the United States.
BNP' US Branch Vice-president Sarafat Hossain Babu and Organising Secretary Belal Mahmud coordinated the teleconference.
Meanwhile, a meeting presided over by Sarafat Hossain Babu during the conference of Federation of Bangladeshi Associations in North America (Fobana) at Mariot Hotel decided that Jubo Dal, the youth wing of BNP in the USA, will submit a memorandum to the Bangladesh Consulate protesting the arrest of Khaleda.
BNP leaders in the USA Solaiman Bhuiyan, Kazi Azam, Aleya Hossain, Maznu Mia, Sayeed Chowdhury, Mohammad Jahangir, Mohammad Hossain, Dr AKM Tareque, Dr Karim and Dr Rouf spoke at the meeting.