The Shawwal moon this year has failed to put a smile on most of the BNP leaders’ faces who are accused in dozens of cases, their families say.
Most prominent among the accused are Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Many of the grassroots leaders of the party face more than 50 to 100 criminal cases against them including for alleged acts of sabotage following three months of violent agitation from January.
Most of them are in jail pending trial or are in hiding. Illness has added to their sufferings.
Khaleda, who cancelled her regular trip to Saudi Arabia for Umrah at the last minute, will visit husband former president Ziaur Rahman and younger son Arafat Rahman Coco’s graves.
She used to talk to elder son Tarique Rahman in London and Coco in Kuala Lumpur in the past years.
Mirza Fakhrul will celebrate the Eid with family members at his Uttara home.
He was admitted to Gulshan’s United Hospital after release on bail five days ago.
“His health is not so good. He lost weight. A block in the carotid artery is giving him pain. The level of IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) has gone up, too,” his wife Rahat Ara Begum said.
“Moreover,” she added, “he has to bear with the ‘false’ cases. Despite all these, he will spend the Eid with younger daughter Mirza Samaru and grandchild Juma Saber.”
The BNP leader is also scheduled to join Khaleda’s programme to exchange greetings at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.
Standing Committee Member Tariqul Islam used to spend the Eid day at his Jessore constituency, but this year he will be at his house at Dhaka’s Shantinagar.
He was admitted to Ibrahim Cardiac Hospital after release on bail.
His son Aninda Islam Amit said Tariqul had three rings in his heart. “Several other blocks have been spotted. Kidney complications and diabetes have aggravated.
“This Eid is joyless for us,” he said.
Another Standing Committee Member Khandker Mosharraf Hossain has been behind bars for months on charges of corruption.
His son Khandker Maruf Hossain said he would have to meet his father at Kashimpur jail.
“We will have to spend the Eid without him. This Eid is painful for us. Because, my father is not in a good health,” he said.
Standing Committee Member and Dhaka City unit Convenor Mirza Abbas is in hiding, facing dozens of cases.
He had spent the last Eid with his supporters at Shajahanpur. No one could say where he would be this time.
His wife Afroza Abbas said she was worried about his health.
Joint Secretary General Salahuddin Ahmed is at India’s Shillong, where he surfaced after three months of ‘disappearance’.
Out on bail, he has to report to the local police station after he was arrested on charges of entering the country without valid travel document.
His wife Hasina Ahmed said she would meet her husband after the Eid.
Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi, Vice Chairman Abdus Salam Pintu, Chairperson’s Adviser Shamsuzzaman Dudu, leaders MA Mannan and Lutfozzaman Babar are at Kashimpur Jail.
Their relatives said they would meet them with food on the Eid day.
Source: bdnews24