Opposition BNP on Friday accused the government of arresting Jatiya Party chairman HM Ershad as he is staying away from the one-sided and stage-managed election.
In a statement, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said, “We think Jatiya Party Chairman and ex-president HM Ershad has been arrested only because he is not taking part in the stage-managed election. It proves that democracy no longer exists in the country.”
He said the government’s move to hold the lopsided election is nothing but a farce.
The BNP leader condemned the arrest of the Jatiya Party chief and demanded his immediate release.
Fakhrul said they are concerned over the way the ex-president was arrested.
Earlier on Thursday night, members of Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) picked up Jatiya Party chairman HM Ershad from his Baridhara residence and took him to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka Cantonment.
Commanding officer of Rab-1 Col Kismat Hayat told media that Ershad was taken to the CMH as he suddenly fell sick.
The rumour of Ershad’s arrest was in the air since his announcement to boycott the next parliamentary election slated for January 5.
Source: UNB Connect
