No plan to arrest Khaleda, says Quader

Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader today said the government has no plan to arrest BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia after her return home from London.

"The government didn't think of arresting Khaleda Zia following the issuance of arrest warrants. The law enforcers and the court will deal with the issue," he said.

Quader, also the Road Transport and Bridges Minister, said the warrants for Khaleda's arrest were issued by courts, not by the government.

He came up with the comments while talking to reporters after placing wreaths at Banani grave of Sheikh Russel marking his 53rd birth anniversary.

The he 53rd birth anniversary of Sheikh Russel, the youngest son of the country's founding president, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, is being observed amid various programmes.

Sheikh Russel was born on October 18, 1964 at Bangabandhu Bhaban at Dhanmondi in Dhaka. He was killed along with most of his family members, including his father, on August 15, 1975 when he was a student of grade IV of University Laboratory School.

Quader, however, warned that if BNP leaders and activists create any chaos in the name of according reception to Khaleda on her return home that will not be tolerated.

Facing arrest warrants in different cases, Khaleda Zia left London's Heathrow Airport for Bangladesh around 9:45 pm (local time) on Tuesday night by an Emirates Airlines flight.

After a nearly two and a half hours' stopover in Dubai, the flight is expected to land at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka around 5:20 pm, Malek said.

BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said their party leaders and activists will gather in the airport area to receive Khaleda.

Meanwhile, a court in Comilla and two others here issued warrants for Khaleda Zia's arrest last week in different cases filed against her.