BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhru Islam Alamgir, who took shelter there to evade arrest, talked to the media before leaving Tuesday Amid mounting pressure from AL and pro-AL journalist union leaders on its management committee. He was arrested at the club gate. He said he stayed there overnight for personal safety.
The BNP leader entered the Press Club on Monday around 2:30 pm to join a rally of pro-BNP professionals marking ‘Democracy Killing Day’, protesting the 10th parliamentary polls held in 2014.
When Fakhrul together with a few BNP and its alliance leaders tried to come out of the Press Club after the rally the ruling party activists who took position outside it obstructed them in the presence of huge law enforcers.Later, Fakhrul took shelter at the Press Club and stayed overnight there while police besieged it apparently to arrest him.
Meanwhile, the pro-AL journalist leaders staged demonstration on the Press Club Premises on Tuesday protesting the stay of political leaders at the National Press Club.
Awami League joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif urged journalists to hand over BNP’s acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir over to the police, saying the Jatiya Press Club is not a place for overnight stay of the BNP acting secretary general.
Prime Minister’s Information Adviser Iqbal Sobhan Chowhdury at a press conference at the club on Tuesday accused the current club management of trying to make it a den of a particular party and use it for political purpose.
He urged the Press Club management to free it from the unexpected overstay of political leaders, or else, he warned they would go for tougher action programmes.
A group of ruling party activists also took position outside the Press Club and were shouting slogans against the stay of political leaders at the Press Club.
BNP sources said pro-BNP lawyers are trying to have an order from the High Court not to arrest or harass Fakhrul who is now staying at the room of the Press Club secretary.
Fakhrul will come out of the Press Club after having court order as police are apparently waiting to arrest him.
“Jatiya Press Club is a place for journalists, not a place for overnight stay for any accused wanted in cases… journalists should hand him over to the legal custody,” AL assistant gewneral secretary Hanif said.
Hanif came up with the remarks while talking to the media at Awami League president Sheikh Hasina’s Dhanmondi political office.
Fakhrul remained confined to the Jatiya Press Club since Monday afternoon as Juba League activists stopped him from leaving the club after he attended a rally there.
A significant number of police personnel has kept the three entrances of the club cordoned off since Tuesday morning. – UNB
