Taking a swipe at the Prime Minister for her comment that BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia fled aboard in fear of facing the cases filed gains her, its senior leader Ruhul Kabir Rizvi yesterday Sheikh Hasina is ‘spreading lies’, reports UNB. “The Prime Minister has said whether Khaleda Zia fled the country in fear of facing cases. Her party general secretary is also echoing her comment. Don’t you feel shy to tell lies? It can be said undoubtedly that Sheikh Hasina is the champion of telling lies,” he said. The BNP leader came up with the remarks while speaking at a human chain programme arranged by people of Narsingdi, living in Dhaka, in front of the Jatiya Press Club, demanding that missing Narsingdi College student union’s former AGS Siddiqur Rahman Nahid be traced.

Rizvi said it is the character of Awami League leaders, including its chief, not Khaleda’s, to flee the country during bad time. “Our leader will continue her movement for restoration of democracy returning home after her treatment (in London).”

He alleged that Hasina went aboard leaving the country and its people in 2008 accepting the minus-two formula of the masterminds of 1/11 political changeover. “But Khaleda Zia didn’t do it despite huge pressure.”

The BNP leader also criticised the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) KM Nurul Huda for his remarks that the Commission has nothing to do for ensuring a level-playing field before the announcement of the election schedule, saying he is working in favour of the government. “The tenure of the Election Commission should be made three months instead of five years since it has no power to do anything before the election schedule is announced,” he observed. Rizvi also said a fair election is not possible under the current CEC as he is hostile to BNP.