BNP leader Shamsuzzaman Dudu told Awami League leaders to ‘think’ before commenting on Tarique Rahman, Senior Vice President of the party and son of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
“He is the Prime Minister of tomorrow,” Dudu said.
Reacting to Awami League leader Mohammad Nasim’s remark that Tarique was conspiring to oust the present regime, Dudu accused the government of “waging propaganda against Tarique with falsehood”.
Shamsuzzaman Dudu, Advisor to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, was speaking at a press briefing at Naya Paltan party headquarters in the capital on Friday.
“We want to make it clear that the government is spreading lies against Tarique Rahman. He will soon lead our movements.”
Tarique Rahman, accused in over a dozen cases, has been in London for the past six years.
On Monday after making a public appearance for the first time in several years at a BNP programme, he had called upon expatriates to pressure the government for a caretaker provision.
Following the comment, a 14-Party meeting on Thursday demanded that he be brought back to Bangladesh for legal actions.
After the meeting, Awami League Presidium Member Mohammad Nasim said that Tarique was plotting to oust government from abroad. “He will live abroad and conspire against the country, this cannot be allowed.”
On this, Shamsuzzaman Dudu said the government was scared of Tarique’s comments.
“Your (Nasim) comments are careless. Tarique Rahman will be the Prime Minister if elections are held tomorrow. We would like to tell Mr Nasim to think before he comments on our leader.”
Dudu also reminded the cases filed against Nasim during the previous caretaker regime.
“Those cases are still on. Court had jailed him for corruption during 1/11. On the other hand, none of the charges levelled by Fakhruddin-Moinuddin government against Tarique Rahman could be proved even in six years.”
“1/11 government tortured him (Tarique) and broke his spine. Even Hossain Shahid Suhrawardy, Sher-e-Bangla AK Fazlul Haque, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Mawlana Abdul Hamid Khan Bhashani did not endure such torture.”
Dudu also criticised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her comment on a former Advisor to the previous caretaker government.
“She spoke ill of those who could not conduct the elections. But it was she who had applauded four of them, including Akbar Ali Khan, after they had resigned. Why is she withdrawing her praise so soon?”
Source: Bd news24
