Dhaka: Terming the attack on BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s motorcade a ‘preplanned’ one, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Qauder on Sunday said BNP itself launched the attack to hit the headlines.

‘We’ve no problem if the BNP Chairperson wants to visit Rohingya camps to provide aid for them. Why should the government or Awami League obstruct them in any way?’ he said talking to journalists at the Secretariat.

‘Khaleda Zia wanted to see a mass procession in support of her. So, she’s chosen to travel by road, but when she saw that was not happening, they planned the attack,’ said Quader, also the Awami League secretary general.

The Awami League leader said, ‘I’ve information that Jubo Dal and Chhatra Dal men launched the attack and now they’re putting the blame on Chhatra League and Juba League men.’

The minister also questioned, ‘Why should Awami League men attack the cars of journalists? The attack was carried out at Chouddagram near Feni which is the electoral constituency of Khaleda.’

The motorcade of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia came under attack in Feni on Saturday on their way to Cox’s Bazar via Chittagong to visit the Rohingyas who have taken shelter there in the face of persecution in their own country, Myanmar.

A number of vehicles, including microbuses of Channel I, DBC, Ekattor and Baishakhi televisions were vandalised and attackers beat several journalists and leaders and activists of BNP who were going with Khaleda Zia.