BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday sent a legal notice to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, asking her to apologise for making “baseless and defamatory” allegations against the former premier and her family members of accumulating a huge amount of wealth in Saudi Arabia.

The move was sure to draw backlash from the ruling Awami League as the party has already hit back saying it will take legal action through court if Khaleda doesn't withdraw her notice.

BNP joint secretary general barrister Mahbubuddin Khokon sent the notice by post on Tuesday. Hours after the news spread, the Awami League (AL) threatened the BNP chairperson to withdraw the notice or to face legal action.

BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir disclosed this at a press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office yesterday. He urged Hasina to seek forgiveness for her comments. Otherwise, he said, legal action will be taken.

The BNP leader said that neither Hasina nor the AL has declared a probe into her allegations. “So, we have decided to take legal measure,” he said.

In the notice, Khaleda asked Hasina to seek unconditional apology for her remarks against the BNP chief and her family members within 30 days. Otherwise, she (Khaleda) will take legal steps to sue the Prime Minister for “damaging” her reputation and image, she has warned.

“The allegations you (Hasina) have made are staged, imaginary, ill-motivated, and vindictive. These (remarks) are intended to defame her (Khaleda’s) image in front of the nation and the world. Your (Hasina’s) demeaning remarks are planned and ill-intended to destroy her (Khaleda’s) political career and to gain political benefit. Your (Hasina’s) defamatory comments have done irreparable damage to her (Khaleda), for which you are legally responsible,” said the legal notice.

The BNP chairperson made the move about three weeks after the Prime Minister made the allegation.

At a press conference in her official residence Ganabhaban on December 7, Hasina had expressed her discontent with the mainstream media for not reporting Khaleda’s assets in Saudi Arabia, including a shopping mall. She had alleged that Khaleda is involved in money-laundering.

The BNP shot back the next day, calling the allegations baseless and threatening to take legal steps.

According to some media reports based on information from the Global Intelligence Network and Canadian TV channel The National, anti-corruption investigation in Saudi Arabia has revealed that Khaleda and her family members own massive wealth in that country.

At a hurriedly-called press conference in the evening,  AL publicity and publication affairs secretary Hasan Mahmud, threatened to take legal action if the BNP did not withdraw the legal notice. He addressed the press at Hasina’s Dhanmondi political office in Dhaka.

He also claimed that BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia sent the legal notice to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina only to divert people’s attention to a different direction from her corruption.

“The BNP chairperson’s legal notice is eyewash to hush up the corruption committed by her and her sons. She has gone mad as she knows the verdict in the corruption cases against her can be delivered any day,” he said.

The Awami League leader further said, “We’ll take legal action through court if she (Khaleda) doesn’t withdraw her notice.”

Mahmud said there has been an allegation that Khaleda Zia and her family members stashed $1200 crore in 12 countries. “Khaleda Zia apparently admitted that she and her family members are corrupt by whitening black money paying fine. She’s now trying to hush up it.”

He also urged the BNP chairperson to apologise to people for indulging in corruption and siphoning off money abroad.

The Awami League leader called upon the Anti-Corruption Commission to launch a fresh investigation against Khaleda and her family.

Speaking at the press conference, Awami League Presidium Member Matia Chowdhury said Awami League did not bring any baseless allegation against Khaleda about her corruption. “She must withdraw her notice offering an apology. Or else, we’ll take legal action against her.”

She also questioned as to how Khaleda’s eldest son Tarique Rahman has been living a lavish life in the UK.