BNP renews demand for release of ailing leaders

BNP renewed on Thursday its demand for the release of its ailing detained leaders on humanitarian ground so that they can receive better treatment as they have been suffering from various critical diseases in jails, reports UNB.
"Many of our leaders have been in jail with serious illness. We've long been urging the government to release them but the government is not paying heed to it. We once again call upon the government to release our ailing leaders on humanitarian ground," said party spokesman Asaduzzaman Ripon.
Addressing a milad mahfil, he further said, "We're not demanding the release of our leaders in the interest of our party politics. We just want them to be released so that they can receive better treatment."
The party arranged the doa mahfil on the ground floor of BNP's Nayapaltan central office after Asr prayers seeking early recovery of its ailing leaders, including standing committee member Tariqul Islam and acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, ex-Dhaka city mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, chairperson's adviser and Gazipur City Corporation (GCC) Mayor MA Mannan and BNP joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.
Ripon deplored that their party leader Nasir Uddin Ahmed Pintu died in jails for lack of better treatment. "We don't want any of our detained leaders to meet the same fate for lack of treatment. We hope the government will cordially accept our demand and positively respond to it."
He also urged all to pray to the Almighty Allah so that BNP's ailing leaders can come round soon.
A munajat was also offered seeking the early recovery of the party leaders.
Ripon said special prayers will be held at mosques across the country after Juma' prayers today (Friday) while similar programmes will also be held at worship places of other religious communities on the day.