‘Panicked’ BNP men fear arrest: Fakhrul

The BNP rank and file are in a state of panic, fearing arrests, while party leaders have accused the police of carrying out drives against them ahead of the next general elections.

The leaders said they formed human chains in different parts of the country, defying arrests to protest against a High Court verdict that extended BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s jail term to 10 years.

In Dhaka, speaking at a human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday said a dialogue or election would not be fruitful while keeping their chairperson Khaleda Zia in jail.

He said this a day before the Oikyafront's scheduled talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

"The government, on one hand, has offered dialogue and extended Khaleda Zia's punishment, on the other. These are two conflicting moves, which don't demonstrate the government's sincerity for talks," Fakhrul said.

He further said, "Neither any dialogue nor any election will be fruitful keeping Khaleda Zia in jail. So, we would like to call upon you (the government) to please return to the path of democracy and create a democratic atmosphere."

The BNP leader said the government must fully accept the Oikyafront's seven-point demands for holding a credible and neutral election. “First of all, our leader (Khaleda) must be freed as no election can be meaningful without her release.”

BNP formed the human chain to protest against the conviction of its chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

Several hundred BNP leaders and followers formed human chains around 11:00am in front of the Jatiya Press Club amid tight security.

They chanted various slogans demanding the immediate release of their leader Khaleda Zia. Police cordoned off the protesters to prevent trouble.

BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Monday announced a three-day countrywide programme, including the human chain, to protest the conviction of its chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

As part of the programme, the party will also observe a token mass-hunger strike on Thursday in all metropolitan cities and district towns.

On Monday, a Dhaka court sentenced BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and three others to seven years’ rigorous imprisonment each in the much-talked-about Zia Charitable Trust corruption case.

Panicked BNP men fear arrest: Fakhrul

The BNP rank and file are in a state of panic, fearing arrests, while party leaders have accused the police of carrying out drives against them ahead of the next general elections. The leaders said they formed human chains in different parts of the country, defying arrests to protest against a High Court verdict that extended BNP chairperson Khaleda Zias jail term to 10 years. In Dhaka, speaking at a human chain in front of the Jatiya Press Club, BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday said a dialogue or election would not be fruitful while keeping their chairperson Khaleda Zia in jail. He said this a day before the Oikyafronts scheduled talks with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The government, on one hand, has offered dialogue and extended Khaleda Zias punishment, on the other. These are two conflicting moves, which dont demonstrate the governments sincerity for talks, Fakhrul said. He further said, Neither any dialogue nor any election will be fruitful keeping Khaleda Zia in jail. So, we would like to call upon you (the government) to please return to the path of democracy and create a democratic atmosphere. The BNP leader said the government must fully accept the Oikyafronts seven-point demands for holding a credible and neutral election. First of all, our leader (Khaleda) must be freed as no election can be meaningful without her release. BNP formed the human chain to protest against the conviction of its chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case. Several hundred BNP leaders and followers formed human chains around 11:00am in front of the Jatiya Press Club amid tight security. They chanted various slogans demanding the immediate release of their leader Khaleda Zia. Police cordoned off the protesters to prevent trouble. BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Monday announced a three-day countrywide programme, including the human chain, to protest the conviction of its chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case. As part of the programme, the party will also observe a token mass-hunger strike on Thursday in all metropolitan cities and district towns. On Monday, a Dhaka court sentenced BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and three others to seven years rigorous imprisonment each in the much-talked-about Zia Charitable Trust corruption case.