Fakhrul doubts Mujib Year’s success keeping Khaleda in jail

Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Saturday doubted whether the government’s yearlong celebrations of the Mujib Year would be successful keeping the party chairperson Khaleda Zia in jail and the people in discomfort.

The BNP leader’s comment came a day after ruling Awami League president and prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Friday launched the countdown to yearlong celebrations of the Mujib Year that begins on March 17 marking the birth centenary of country’s founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Fakhrul was addressing a rally organised by Bangladesh Sammilita Peshajibi Parishad in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka demanding release of Khaleda and her proper treatment.

‘The government is now holding celebrations. It is good. But you have to think whether it would touch the hearts of the people when you are holding celebrations keeping Khaleda Zia in jail,’ Fakhrul said.

‘You should also think whether this celebration would be successful keeping most of the country’s people in discomfort and confusion,’ he said.

Mentioning Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader’s recent  comment that there was no need to take Khaleda abroad as she was not seriously ill, Fakhrul termed his speech as unjust and said, ‘We don’t expect such words from you.’

Expecting truth about the treatment of Khaleda, he said, ‘The ball is now in your court. The ball is no more in the court of judiciary. You have to take all the responsibility if anything bad happens to Khaleda.’

The BNP leader, mentioning that Khaleda’s health had deteriorated seriously, said that the doctors had recommended her advanced treatment.  ‘The country has no such advanced medical centre.’

Addressing the rally as the chair, the parishad convener and former Dhaka Union of Journalists’ faction president Shawkat Mahmud said that the government could release Khaleda as per Section 401 of Code of Criminal Procedure that empowers government to suspend or remit sentence.

He warned that they would begin countdown of ousting the government if Khaleda was not released immediately.

Moderated by the parishad member secretary AZM Zahid Hossain, the rally was addressed, among others, by journalist Ruhul Amin Gazi, Dhaka University professor ABM Obaidul Islam, lawyer Fazlur Rahman, engineer Riyazul Islam Rizu, agriculturist Harunur Rashid, and cultural activist Rafiqul Islam.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net