‘Khaleda kept in jail surrounded by chemical depots’

Voicing deep concern over of the security of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia at the abandoned central jail in Old Dhaka, party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi on Sunday demanded her immediate release, reports UNB.

"We're very concerned that our beloved leader (Khaleda) has been kept in an abandoned jail as many chemical depots are around it,” he told a press conference at the party’s Naya Paltan central office.

Rizvi pointed out that the jail is only 200 meters away from the Wahed Mansion where the fire incident has taken place with a big bang. "The government has kept her in an awfully dangerous situation in jail with an evil motive. We demand her immediate release from there."

The BNP leader said the government has kept Khaleda over a year in a place surrounded by depots of explosive and dangerous chemicals out of its political vengeance.

As his attention was drawn to media reports that Khaleda may be shifted to Keraniganj Central Jail, Rizvi said they want the government to free her immediately.

He claimed that their chairperson passed a sleepless night with a big worry on Wednesday amid the wailing of people and sounds of big explosions at Wahed Mansion following the deadly fire.

A fire that broke out at a four-storey Haji Wahed Mansion at Chawkbazar's Churihatta on Wednesday night, killing 67 people and injuring many others.

Rizvi questioned prime minister Sheikh Hasina's intention of keeping Khaleda in a suffocating situation and vulnerable place.

"Why're you playing a game with her life? How would you feel if you were imprisoned in such a situation surrounded by explosives? Come out of your political vengeance and ensure our leader's unconditional release."