Dhaka, Dec 12 – Expressing its grievances over the Appellate Division order rejecting Khaleda Zia’s bail in Zia Charitable Trust graft case, BNP on Thursday announced a countrywide demonstration programme for Sunday demanding her release.BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir declared the programme at a press conference after a meeting of party standing committee members at its chairperson’s Gulshan office.
“We’re aggrieved and disappointed over the court order. The nation has not only got stunned but also angry over it,” he said.
The BNP leader said people had an expectation that Khaleda Zia would get justice from the apex court, but unfortunately, she was deprived of that.
Under the circumstances, Fakhrul said, “We’ve taken a decision at the meeting of our standing committee that we’ll stage demonstrations and take out processions across the country on Sunday, demanding Khaleda Zia’s release.”
In the capital, he said BNP’s all thana units will hold rallies and stage demonstrations the same day to push for the same demand.
He said they will also announce other programmes after Sunday to mount pressure on the government to free Khaleda from jail.
Fakhrul said they believe that people will wage a strong movement with their active participation to force the current ‘usurper’ government to hold a fresh election under a neutral government annulling the results of the 11th parliamentary election.
Earlier in the day, the Appellate Division rejected the bail petition of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the graft case.
The former prime minister has been in jail since February 8 last year after she was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment in a separate corruption case.
She is currently being treated at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University. Her party has been accusing the government of not providing adequate treatment facilities to Khaleda. – UNB
The opposition BNP and its front organizations yesterday staged demonstrations in the city and elsewhere in the country as party chairperson Khaleda Zia’s bail petition was rejected by the Supreme Court Appellate Division.
Leaders and activists of the BNP and its front organizations including Chhatra Dal, Juba Dal and Mohila Dal took to the streets in different parts of the city staged demonstrations and carried out protest processions soon after the court verdict was announced.
Speaking at a protest rally organized by the BNP, party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi called upon the party leaders and activists to come out from their homes and join the movement for the release of Khaleda Zia.
Party leaders, workers and supporters chanted various slogans demanding immediately the release of former premier and provide her better treatment.
Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal brought out a protest rally in Dhaka University campus and paraded different areas. At a stage, police dispersed the JCD procession carried out led by its central president Fazlur Rahman and general secretary Iqbal Hossain Shamol.
Earlier, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court rejected the bail petition of Khaleda in the Zia Charitable Trust corruption case. The six-member Appellate bench, led by Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, passed the order after hearing the petition.
The BNP leaders and activists brought out a protest procession led by party’s senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi in Bangla Motor area at about 1:30 pm.
He alleged that the present government increased the level of repression after convicting her in false cases.
“The fascist government not only deprives her (Khaleda) from her rights to get bail rather they also deprived the seriously ill aged woman of better treatment,” he said.
The BNP leader said the think the court rejected Khaleda’s bail petition at the interference of the government and it set a ‘bad precedence.’
“This is not the time to stay inside homes, rather all should take to the streets defying all the obstacles to free Khaleda from jail,” he added.
Meanwhile, speaking at the JCD rally its president Fazlur Rahman termed the court verdict controversial saying that the students’ community does not accept it and the consequence of the verdict will be severe.
Jatiyatabadi Juba Dal brought out a procession in Kamalapur area protesting the court verdict demanding the release of Khaleda.
Juba Dal president Saiful Alam Nirob and general secretary Sultan Salahuddin Tuku led the procession.
In another development, the BNP standing committee members sit in an emergency meeting at chairperson’s political office in Gulshan and discussed the latest development in the political development and overall situation following the court verdict and party’s possible course of action. – Staff Reporter
