An Awami League leader on Friday accused the BNP of stealing copies of the verdict against Salauddin Quader Chowdury to create a controversy. “The law ministry was not involved in leaking of the verdict, as alleged by the Opposition. In fact, the BNP was involved in the conspiracy. The guilty should be booked,” said Suranjit Sengupta, minister without portfolio and AL advisory council member.
The minister’s charge coincided with a massive agitation by the BNP against the alleged government plot to “eliminate political opponents in the guise of war crimes trial”.
The Opposition’s public show of support for a convicted war criminal added fodder to the ruling party’s charges. “The BNP’s motive to save war criminals was exposed through its rally to protest against the death sentence on one of their leaders. It the BNP comes to power, all war crimes suspects and convicts would be released from jail,” said AL presidium member Mohammad Nasim.
Nasim claimed that the country would head towards disaster if the BNP-Jamaat alliance came to power again. “A BNP-Jamaat government would turn Bangladesh into Egypt. Do you (countrymen) want to see Bangladesh as Egypt? If you don’t want it, then work together to make AL victorious in the next general election,” he added.
The AL leader was addressing a meeting to mark the 26th death anniversary of former Speaker Abdul Malek. It was organised by the Bangabandhu Sangskritik Jote at the Shilpokola Academy here. Jote vice-president Mobarak Ali Sikdar presided over the discussion.
At a separate function, environment and forest minister Hasan Mahmud echoed his party colleague’s concern.
Mahmud alleged that the BNP-led 18-party alliance was a band of militants. “Those in the alliance want to turn the country into a militant state like Pakistan,” he told a meeting organised by the Bangabandhu Academy in the city. “The BNP was responsible for creating 1/11. Its leaders wanted to destroy democracy. But Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s daughter Sheikh Hasina restored democracy after assuming power,” he added.
He also accused the BNP of patronising war criminals. “The verdict against BNP lawmaker Salauddin Quader Chowdhury has exposed the truth,” he said.
Mahmud iterated his party’s stand that the AL wanted to hold a free, fair and credible election with the participation of all political parties.
-With The Independent input
