Defiant Oli sticks to his guns

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Ruling BNP’s dissident leader Oli Ahmad defended his statements against the ‘adulterers, corrupt leaders, and haughty plunderers’ and urged the people to unite against them since there is no alternative to this to save the nation.
“The crisis in the country will deepen if such people are re-elected,” he told reporters yesterday in his DOHS residence in the capital on his return from Saudi Arabia after performing Umrah.

Some people in BNP, who are involved in corruption and terrorism, are badmouthing him, he said.

“I am a hero of the liberation war, I will never lose and as a freedom fighter I will continue my struggle against terrorism and corruption,” Oli, also a BNP standing committee member, told the reporters in response to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s warning to the party’s senior leaders, during its national executive committee (NEC) meeting, that they are heroes but only when they are in the party. “BNP did not make me a hero,” Oli said.

Over the last two years Oli Ahmad has been criticising the present government and strongly protesting against, what he said, corruption by few ministers and lawmakers and some powerful BNP people, and their involvement in terrorism.

“Democracy doesn’t mean that you turn the country into a den of corruption through syndication,” He told the reporters.

Asked if he will clarify his statements, published by the media, to the BNP standing committee, Oli said, “I have clarified my position to the people and I don’t need to give clarifications to one or two persons.”

“Is it possible that I won’t go if the prime minister summons me?” he questioned when asked what will he do if the prime minister calls him.

On the probable inclusion of Jatiya Party (Ershad) in the ruling alliance he said none but Ershad was punished in the last 36 years for corruption.

In reply to a question he said he did not make any comment against BNP, neither did he do anything against the party. “I only spoke against some corrupt people who are responsible for price hikes and my stance is loud and clear,” he said.

Young leaders of BNP, backed by Tarique Rahman, in the recently concluded NEC meeting, demanded expulsion of Oli from the party due to his adverse comments.

The NEC empowered the party’s standing committee with the authority to take the next step regarding Oli, who might face disciplinary actions soon.

When asked about his probable expulsion from the party, Oli, who was a close aide to late President Ziaur Rahman said if the party expels him and gives shelters to corrupt people then he will have nothing to say.

“Wait and see,” he said when a reporter asked him about what he will do if he is expelled from the party. “They can and they have the right to do so if they want to protect the culprits,” he said.

On the demand of some young leaders for his expulsion in the NEC meeting, the party standing committee member said, “Some men without roots, who are involved in corruption, spoke against me but I don’t care.”

“I have nothing to lose and I will not bow down though the corrupt are very much powerful now,” he added.

When asked whether he will form a new political party if he is expelled, he said, “Let the time come, I am a self-confident man.”

He went on, “Look at them! Who did not even have a pair of slippers are now putting on Italian shoes, those who used to wear half-sleeve shirts now wear full sleeve shirts and those who were skeletons now have gained extra fat.”

When a reporter said he has lost the game of politics, Oli retorted with confidence, “I am a fighter, I fight for the cause of the country, for the truth. In my life I’ve never lost my battles since the war. Now I am in the middle of a war, let the war end.”

He told the reporters that he will attend the next session of the parliament if he can manage the time.

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