BNP to stage demo Saturday against Khaleda's arrest warrant

The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Thursday announced it will stage demonstrations on Saturday protesting at the arrest warrant of its chairperson Khaleda Zia in two cases, reports UNB.

BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi announced the programmes at a press conference at BNP's Naya Paltan central office on Thursday.

He said BNP's different units across the country will bring out processions and hold meetings on the day to register their protest against the arrest warrants.

"People can easily understand the issuance of the warrants when her (Khaleda's) homecoming is now a matter of time is part of the government's evil plans. We think it has also been issued for implementing the government's wicked strategy," he said.

"I, on behalf of BNP, strongly protest and condemn the arrest warrants and demand its immediate withdrawal," Rizvi added.

Two courts here issued the warrants for the arrest of Khaleda Zia in two cases filed against her in connection with Zia Orphanage Trust corruption and undermining the country's map and national flag.

On Monday, a Comilla court issued warrants for the arrest of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and 45 other leaders and activists of the party in a case filed in connection with a petrol bomb attack on a bus in Chouddagram upazila in 2015.

Mentioning that their chairperson has been receiving treatment for her ailments in London, Rizvi said, "Khaleda's counsels submitted a medical certificate on her illness and treatment before the court. The court also knows it very well, but there has been arrest warrant spree in false cases suddenly for three-four days."

Rizvi said the activists of the ruling party's associate bodies like Juba League and Chhatra League brought out processions expressing their happiness after the issuance of the warrants. "It's now clear that the court passed the order at the behest of the government."

He alleged that the government has put in its all efforts to eliminate the opposition parties and make the apex court its puppet. "The entire judiciary has got scared seeing what happened to the chief justice. They now can't work independently."

The BNP leader also alleged that the government is making evil plans to hold another lopsided election like 5-January, 2014 one keeping BNP out of the race.