BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday feared that the verdicts in the two graft cases filed against their chairperson Khaleda Zia and others will be pronounced ‘as per the Prime Minister’s desire’.

‘Prime Minister’s special envoy HM Ershad has said Khaleda Zia will have to go to jail within a few days, which means this illegal government has already written the verdict. So, it was unnecessary to hold the farce in the name of trial,’ he said.

Speaking at a press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office, the BNP leader also said Ershad’s comment has exposed that there is now rule of law in the country, and justice here is a far cry. ‘The trial will reflect the Prime Minister’s desire as the verdicts are pre-determined ones.’

Fakhrul termed the Jatiya Party Chairman’s comment contemptuous and questioned why the government did not take any action against him, reports the UNB.

Meanwhile, the Special Court-5 in Dhaka on Thursday fixed February 8 to deliver verdict in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case against Khaleda and 5 others.

On August 8, 2011, the commission filed the Zia Charitable Trust graft case with Tejgaon Police Station accusing four people, including Khaleda Zia, of abusing power in raising funds for the trust from unknown sources.

Fakhrul alleged that the government filed 24 false cases against Khaleda to keep her away from the next general election. ‘Of the cases, the trials in these two are at the final stage. The entire trial process has come under question with the court’s unprecedented order to give our chairperson day-basis bail.’

He said the government wants to promptly end the trial of the cases to keep Khaleda out of politics as it seriously fears her. ‘We condemn the government’s such efforts.’