BNP spokesperson Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, known for taking questions from the media — skirted queries on the death sentence for his party colleague Salauddin Quader Chowdhury during a press conference on Wednesday.
The acting Secretary General entered the media briefing at the party’s Naya Paltan headquarters with a written statement in his hand.
He said Salauddin Quader, a standing committee member, who was found guilty of nine charges including genocide, did not get justice.
“The BNP believes the government is eliminating its political adversaries in the name of trying crimes against humanity,” said Fakhrul.
He announced nationwide protest rallies on Thursday against ‘attempts to eradicate political rivals and destroy all institutions of the state’.
After Fakhrul finished announcing the programmes, reporters asked for his reaction to Salauddin Quader’s death verdict. But he declined to oblige, saying “I have said all that was required, I have nothing more to say.”
He got up from his seat, saying ‘no question’, and journalists were not provided copies of the statement he was holding.
The main opposition’s reaction to ICT’s verdict came a day after it was announced on Tuesday. The BNP had maintained silence over the six earlier verdicts which convicted Jamaat-e-Islami leaders, a key constituent of the BNP-led 18-Party alliance.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia went on a huddle with the party’s highest policymakers on Tuesday after her former advisor on parliamentary affairs was handed down death penalty by the war crimes court.
Policemen armed with prison van and water cannons were positioned in front of the main opposition’s headquarters before the briefing began in the afternoon.
BNP leaders claimed six of their activists were detained from the entrance to the party offices when the press briefing was taking place.
Source: Bd news24