Opposition BNP on Wednesday protested the Foreign Minister’s remarks that its leader Tarique Rahman a fugitive and no longer a political figure, and threatened to give the ministers and other ruling party leaders a befitting reply at the appropriate time.
“The Foreign Minister yesterday (Tuesday) termed our party senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman a fugitive and not a political figure.
We condemn and protest her comments,” BNP spokesman Shamsuzzaman Dudu told a press briefing.
“The days of this government are numbered. We’ll count what the ministers and ruling party MPs are saying about our leaders and will
give a befitting reply in time,” he said at the briefing held at BNP’ s Nayapaltan central office.
Earlier on Tuesday, Foreign Minister Dr Dipu Moni said BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman is no longer a political figure as he is not holding any post since he quit politics signing a sworn statement.
“The affidavit that I’ve seen says he left the country sacrificing his post. He also signed the affidavit that he won’t take part in
politics. In that sense, he is not a political figure,” said the Foreign Minister, she said when a reporter posed a question introducing Tarique Rahman as BNP senior vice president.
Terming the Foreign Ministers’ remarks misleading, Dudu, an adviser to BNP the BNP chairperson, said Dipu Moni made the remarks to
appease others and thus she belittled her post and position.
Describing the Foreign Minister as an opportunist of the 1/11 episode, he asked her to use measured and acceptable language while
making comments about respectable and popular leaders like Tarique.
He claimed that Tarique, the eldest son of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia, had never relinquished his party position or politics; rather he
went to London as a senior joint secretary general and was later elected the party’s senior vice chairman at the party’s nation
council. “There’ no question t resign or give undertaking by Tarique Rahman.”
The BNP leader said Bangladesh has no foreign friend except a neighbouring country at present due to its wrong foreign policy.
Dudu said the BNP senior vice chairman is still sick and undergoing treatment in the UK. He will return home on completion of his
treatment, he added.
He also slammed Home Minister Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir and Environment and Forests Minister Hasan Mahmud for what he said making derogatory remarks against Tarique and asked them to be cautious before making any comments about BNP leaders and Traique. (Source: UNB)
