Bangladesh News

Demanding release of all political leaders including BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, the BNP-led four-party alliance yesterday said people would not accept trials under the emergency power rules that it said do not allow the judges to work independently.

They observed that the political leaders behind bars should be freed to make the ongoing dialogue meaningful and hold an acceptable general election.

Addressing a discussion organised by the alliance, BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain alleged that the ongoing trials have been reduced to a farce under the state of emergency.

Held at the auditorium of Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, the discussion was arranged to observe yesterday as Bondi Mukti Dibosh (“Free Detainees Day”).

The four parties–BNP, Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh Jatiya Party(BJP) and Islami Oikya Jote–however did not arrange any protest meeting at their central offices as was planned originally.

Asking the military-backed administration to hand over power to an elected government, Delwar said, “Lift the [state of] emergency for at least seven days and you would see what people can do to release Khaleda Zia and Motiur Rahman Nizami.”

He said, “We want peace, we don’t want any bloodshed. But people won’t allow any blueprint to be implemented.”

The BNP secretary general said, “The present government has come to power unconstitutionally and that is why it seeks to turn the country into a jail by detaining thousands of leaders and workers.”

Cases are being filed against political leaders to hold a stage-managed election, he alleged. “The political leaders are being tried under special laws as they [government] don’t want politicians to return to politics.”

Addressing the administration, he said, “You [government] are illegal and so are the ordinances promulgated by you.”

Khandaker Delwar reiterated his call for the government to release Khaleda and her two sons for treatment abroad to make the dialogue successful.

“The government would be held responsible if something bad happens to them [Tarique and Koko],” he continued.

BNP leaders Chowdhury Tanveer Ahmed Siddiqui, RA Gani, Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojahid and Bangladesh Jatiya Party (BJP) President Andalib Rahman Partha, among others, spoke at the discussion presided over by Khandaker Delwar.

Meanwhile, 251 teachers of Dhaka University yesterday demanded release of Khaleda Zia and her sons. In a joint statement, they said their release would help create a congenial atmosphere for dialogue and election.

Prof Sadrul Amin, Prof Aminur Rahman Majumder, Prof M Sirajul Islam, Dr Tajmeri SA Islam, Prof Saidur Rahman, Prof Quamrul Ahsan Chowdhury and Prof Mahbubullah were among the signatories to the statement.

Meanwhile, Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal acting president Mian Mohammad Selim and acting general secretary Abdus Salam Azad in a statement yesterday urged the government to send Tarique and Koko abroad for treatment without delay.