The trial in the 2004 Chittagong arms case was politically motivated and designed to malign Khaleda Zia, BNP spokesperson Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said.
He has also termed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s remarks on BNP Chairperson’s involvement in the case as false.
The BNP acting Secretary General gave his reaction on Wednesday, a day after the release of the full verdict of the sensational cases.
“The whole issue was politically motivated,” Fakhrul told reporters after paying tribute at the grave of party founder Ziaur Rahman.
He said the prime minister had made false accusations against Khaleda Zia over her involvement in the 2004 arms haul in an attempt to divert people’s attention at a time when the world has raised questions about the legality of her government.
Fakhrul said if the probe and trial were held properly the fact would have come out.
On Jan 30, a Chittagong court had sentenced 14 people to death including former industries minister and Jamaat-e-Islami chief Matiur Rahman Nizami and former state minister for home Lutfozzaman Babar in the 2004 arms smuggling cases.
The full verdict observed it would not have been possible to smuggle such a huge consignment of weapons and ammunition into Bangladesh without the active connivance of the government.
File Photo
Former state minister Babar was fully involved in the incident and then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s silence over the seizure was ‘mysterious’, the verdict said.
During an unscheduled discussion in Parliament on Tuesday Hasina said Hawa Bhaban’s involvement had come up during the case’s trial. She also said the BNP Chairperson’s name was also mentioned during testimonies.
“Those involved in the conspiracy should be put on trial,” Hasina said.
Fakhrul said Khaleda had ordered proper action over the seizures. Cases were filed during her tenure and the government had started the trial following investigation, he said.
Expressing concern over the independence of judiciary, he said the ruling party has made the judiciary subservient, where the judges find it hard to work independently any more.
Fakhrul also expressed concern over the abrupt change of the judge in the 1981 murder case of Maj Gen Abul Manzur, only days before the verdict was due on Feb 10.
Former military dictator and Prime Minister’s special envoy HM Ershad is the principal accused in the case.
Source: Bdnews24