BNP alleges the government is plotting to throw Khaleda Zia out of politics by not allowing a rally at Narayanganj that she was to address and by changing court premises in two cases filed against her.
On Wednesday Narayanganj Mayor Selina Hayat Ivy refused to permit the BNP to hold a rally on May 14 .
On the other hand, court premises to hold the trial of the BNP chief in the ‘Zia Charitable Trust’ and ‘Zia Orphanage Trust’ graft cases were changed.BNP acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir told At a conference on Thursday the cases ‘false and baseless’ and said these were filed against Khaleda Zia to belittle her.
“The trials of the cases were being held in a Sessions court. The law ministry in its release said the court premises had been shifted to Alia Madrasa. The motive is to harass Khaleda Zia,” he said.
Fakhrul alleged these are part of a conspiracy to keep Khaleda away from politics.
Charges in the cases filed by the Anti-corruption Commission were framed on Mar 19 this year.
The Law ministry said in a press release on Wednesday that the premises had been shifted from the Dhaka’s Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court on security grounds.
On not allowing the BNP to organise a rally in Narayanganj, Fakhrul said, “The BNP chairperson wanted to go there to convey sympathy to the families of the victims in Naryanganj”.
He said obstructing her to address a rally was denial of democratic rights.
“We strongly condemn it.”
Fakhrul hoped Naryanganj Mayor Selina Hayat Ivy would reconsider her decision of not allowing the BNP to hold the rally.
Ivy refused the BNP, fearing deterioration of law and order in Narayanganj that has been under the media spotlight after the abduction and killing of seven people in April.
BNP’s Narayanganj unit chief Toimur Alam Khandaker sought the City Corporation’s permission to hold a rally on the Bangabandhu Road and asked for additional security.
“It is not possible to give them (BNP) permission given the current situation in the city,” Ivy told reporters.
“Moreover, there’s a hospital beside their (the BNP’s) proposed venue,” she said. – bdnews24.com
