Work together to overcome crisis

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Detained BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday urged all political parties to work together to overcome the ongoing political crisis in the country.

“This is not the time for quarrelling among ourselves, rather it’s a time for working together for the country. In this critical juncture we should work together to save the nation from the current crisis as well as to ensure a free and fair parliamentary election,” she said.

The former premier was speaking to reporters in a special court after the trial proceedings in the Gatco graft case against her, her youngest son Arafat Rahman Koko and 22 others.

Queried about the commerce adviser’s Tuesday’s statement that the government is trying to convince BNP to join the ongoing politico-electoral dialogue, she said she knows nothing about it.

“We don’t want any conflict. We want a free and fair election with participation of all parties, all problems can be solved through peaceful discussions.”

Asked whether any negotiation is going on between her and the government, she said, “I’m in custody and have no scope for conversations. I know nothing about it.”

Earlier, the court deferred till July 20 the hearing on charge framing in the high profile graft case.

The BNP chief was produced before the special court, set up on the parliament building premises, at 10:20am.

She told the reporters that BNP is a big democratic party and has been working to establish the rights of the people.

Reiterating her demand for parliamentary election in October this year, she said, “We want the national election first but the government wants to hold upazila elections in October. There shouldn’t be any problem if the parliamentary election is held in October.”

She demanded withdrawal of the state of emergency. “It is not possible to hold a free and fair election under the emergency,” she said adding, journalists are not being able to write many things due to the emergency.

Referring to Awami League Acting President Zillur Rahman’s remark that BNP-led 4-party alliance is responsible for ushering in the incident of 1/11, Khaleda told the reporters, “The people know how 1/11 happened. They know what happened on the streets at the time, you have the video footage. We shouldn’t have a debate on it anymore rather we should work to overcome the crisis.”

Asked about her possible cooperation with the government, the detained BNP chief said, “We want elections and want to cooperate with the government for that. And for that to materialise there is no alternative to discussions.”

As the reporters asked her again whether BNP will join the ongoing dialogues between the government and political parties, Khaleda said, “I’m detained. I will have to go by whatever decision the four-party alliance takes.”

Expressing resentment over the finance adviser’s recent remark about skyrocketing prices of rice, she said, “It sounds very bad, which is tantamount to mocking the plight of the poor.”

“One doesn’t need to compare the current high prices with the prices during the regime of Shaista Khan. He can just look back to the BNP-led alliance government’s regime when the people could save money and also have three meals a day,” she quipped.

Repeating her demand for sending her detained sons –Tarique and Koko — abroad for treatment, Khaleda said, “Their health conditions are deteriorating by the day, but the government is not taking any measure.”

DAY’S PROCEEDINGS

The hearing on charge framing in the case could not take place as a petition for staying the case proceedings is pending with the Appellate Division of Supreme Court.

As the court proceedings started at 10:25am, Khaleda’s counsel Advocate Abdur Rezzaque Khan appealed for adjournment of the hearing for two weeks saying, they had filed a writ petition seeking a stay on the proceedings of the case, which will be heard soon.

He also argued that the hearing on charge framing cannot start until the petition for the stay order is adjudicated by the higher court.

Another defence counsel Barrister Abdur Razzak filed a bail petition for his client former industries minister also Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami.

He also said the case was filed with a mala fide intention and his client is entitled to bail since he is ill.

Prosecution lawyers opposed the bail plea saying, the accused is involved in corruption.

Hearing both sides, the judge set July 20 as the next date for hearing, but did not give any order on the bail plea immediately. However, later in the afternoon it rejected the bail petition.

Khaleda’s younger son Arafat Rahman Koko, who was exempted from appearing in person before the court on grounds of ill health, was represented by his lawyer Taherul Islam Tawhid.

Other accused in the case including former LGRD minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, former health minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, former agriculture minister MK Anwar, former land minister M Shamsul Islam, former industries minister Motiur Rahman Nizami, and former state minister for energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain were also produced before the court.

The Anti-corruption Commission filed the case with Tejgaon police station on September 2 last year in connection with corruption in awarding Gatco a contract for container handling at depots in Dhaka and Chittagong.

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