People to free Khaleda thru demo if legal battle fails: Moudud

BNP senior leader Moudud Ahmed said on Wednesday people will make sure their Chairperson Khaleda Zia's release from jail through street agitations if their party's legal battle fails, reports UNB.

"I would like to say it clearly that the country's people will ensure the release of Khaleda Zia if the court fails to do that," he said.

Moudud, a BNP standing committee member, came up with the comment while speaking at a discussion arranged by Aparajeyo Bangladesh at the Jatiya Press Club.

He said their party will join the next polls under the leadership of Khaleda as no fair and credible election is possible keeping her away from the race. "We won't allow anyone to hold the election without her participation."

The BNP leader said their party's only agenda is now to free Khaleda from jail. "I think no one should now question us about the next polls until she is released."

Moudud said they will take preparations for the polls alongside carrying out a movement to force the government to hold a credible election under a non-party administration.

About the Anti-Corruption Commission's (ACC's) move to investigate the allegation of 'suspicious' bank transactions by their eight top leaders, he said the step was taken after making a fabricated story against the BNP leaders.

"There's no basis of the allegation brought against our leaders. The allegation was brought only for their character assassination. I think it's a plot to suppress our leaders," the BNP leader alleged.

He said the ACC has taken no action against those ruling party leaders creating second home in Canada, the USA and Malaysia by siphoning off thousands crores of taka they plundered. "Around 370 billion (37,000 crores) of taka has been siphoned off in last year alone."

Meanwhile, BNP alleged on Wednesday that the government is preventing their Chairperson Khaleda Zia's personal physicians from visiting her in Old Dhaka Central Jail.

"The government is repressing our chairperson Khaleda Zia. The government is hurting her little by little after snatching her right to get bail and all other rights," said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Speaking at a press conference at BNP's Nayapaltan central office, he also said they still could not know the real health condition of their 73-year-old chairperson. "Her personal physicians are being barred from giving her proper treatment in jail."

He alleged that though the High Court granted her bail, it was stayed at the behest of the Prime Minister. "Getting bail is any person's a right, and staying it as per the directive of the head of the government is a sheer violation of human rights."