PM blasts putting Tarique at BNP's helm

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday sharply criticised BNP for dropping section 7 from its charter and making a convict its head, reports UNB.

"What will the party that accepts corruption as policy or support it in its charter, and accepts a corrupt leader work for the wellbeing of people? They (its leaders) can commit only plundering, killing people and corruption," She said at her valedictory speech in the 19th session of the current Parliament.

The Prime Minister said BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia might have guessed before the court's judgment that she would go to the jail and dropped the section 7 from BNP's charter to pave the way for corrupt and convicts to hold her party posts.

"This means BNP has accepted corruption and a convict as its leader," she said.

"Immediately after a person (Khaleda Zia) landed in jail after being convicted, another person (Tarique Rahman) was given the charge (of chairman of BNP), who is also a convict and doesn't stay in the country. The fugitive convict who stays abroad taking asylum was given the charge of the party," Sheikh Hasina said.

She questioned whether there is any person among the BNP leaders who could be entrusted with the charge.

The Prime Minister said Begum Zia might have realised that everyone among those who can be given the charge is facing many graft cases. "All are corrupt and there're cases against all."

Mentioning that the government has nothing to do with the court verdict against Khaleda Zia, Hasina said the court awarded the sentence concluding the trial process of the Zia Orphanage graft case that continued for 10 years.