AL men asked to remain calm

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Awami League (AL) will soon take legal steps for release of its arrested President Sheikh Hasina.
“We have already applied for urgent certified copy of the case (against Hasina) for taking to legal procedures. As soon as we get it, we will appeal to court for her release,” acting AL President Zillur Rahman told a press briefing yesterday at his Gulshan residence in the capital.

He urged all leaders, workers and supporters of the party not to be ‘misled’ in the present situation and to remain calm and patient. They should not do anything according to their wishes, he cautioned.

Although the acting AL president called an informal meeting of the party presidium to discuss the course of action following Hasina’s arrest, none but Motia Chowdhury among the presidium members, and some other party leaders attended it.

Zillur Rahman however said party leaders came to see him as he is sick. He could not call a meeting as indoor politics is banned.

At the briefing, he categorically termed the case against Hasina completely false, politically motivated and fabricated. Vowing to fight the case legally, he expressed his determination to win the legal battle.

They have already asked lawyers to examine different aspects of the charge brought against the party president, he mentioned.

He pointed out that some party leaders have been misled due to “excess love” for Hasina. “I will tell all those who have love for Bangabandhu, the country, democracy, Awami League and Sheikh Hasina, please be patient and calm. You will have to remain united to wage movements in future,” he said.

The veteran AL leader criticised the caretaker government for arresting Hasina suddenly on ‘false accusations’. “It is highly condemnable and very sad that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s daughter was arrested all of a sudden in a false case,” he said

The government could have issued summons on Hasina. But without doing so, it arrested her on ‘laughable, false and fabricated charges’, said Zillur, who usually acts as party president in the absence of Hasina.

He further said the government thinks it can destroy the image of Hasina by arresting her. “But could the government realise it (arrest) has given a boost to her image? It has not defamed her, rather she has been glorified.”

The people burst into tears at the arrest of Hasina and offered special prayers for her release but made adverse comments on the government for its action.

Asked about the next course of party action, he said a decision will be taken shortly after discussions with party leaders.

Zillur urged the government to consider the status of the AL president in jail as per the VVIP jail code.

“She [Hasina] is not an ordinary person. She is the daughter of the Father of the Nation and a former prime minister, she waged movements against military rulers, fought for democracy, upheld it and became party (AL) president while in exile,” Zillur pointed out.

The AL leader mentioned that Hasina supported the present government from its very first day and said if voted to power, her party would ratify all their good work.

The press briefing was also attended by AL leaders Latif Siddique, Mirza Abdul Jalil, Maj Gen (retd) Shubid Ali Bhuiyan, Col (retd) Shawkat Ali, Dr Dipu Moni, Dr Hasan Mahmud, BM Mozammel Haque, Advocate Abdul Matin, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, Khairuzzaman Liton, and Meher Afroz Chumki.

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