Second notice to Khaleda just to tarnish her image
The government has sent the second notice to Khaleda Zia regarding her house only to tarnish her image, said BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain yesterday.
He, however, said the matter would be resolved in court.
"They [the government] have served a notice and we will give our reply as per law since she [Khaleda] respects the laws. But it was needless to send the notice again as the matter is pending with the High Court," he said talking to reporters at his home in the city's Armanitola.
He said the fresh notice is nothing but persecution of the party chairperson.
Delwar said they think the notice was sent for the second time to harass her politically. The chairperson already consulted senior leaders of the party after receiving the notice served by the Directorate of Military Lands and Cantonments, he said.
In Thursday's notice, Khaleda was asked to show cause as to why she should not be asked to return the estate, including the house, within the next 15 days. BNP did not disclose receiving of notice till midnight.
The cabinet cancelled the lease of the 2.72-acre mansion on April 8 on grounds that the leasing out process was faulty and she violated lease terms. On April 20, Directorate of Military Lands and Cantonments served the first notice upon Khaleda to vacate the house.
After two High Court benches felt embarrassed to hear the BNP chief's appeal against the first notice, a third bench is supposed to hold a hearing on it tomorrow.
Replying to a question, the BNP secretary general also claimed that the corruption allegations raised by ruling party's lawmakers against BNP leaders, including former speaker Jamiruddin Sircar, were baseless.
He said, "The speaker does not have any jurisdiction to form a probe committee like the one he formed to investigate allegations against Sircar. Would you take it as graft if the parliament had given him money?"
"Nobody raised questions before about the money given from the fund of parliament members," he added.
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