Dhaka: BNP senior leader Moudud Ahmed on Monday alleged that there is a deliberate delay in giving Khaleda Zia’s lawyers a certified copy of the lower court verdict against her in a bid to ‘linger’ her release from jail on bail.

Speaking at a discussion, he also warned the ruling party that it is losing 10 lakh votes every day for showing an inhuman attitude towards Khaleda Zia.

‘We sought a certified copy of the verdict on Thursday to file an appeal. We still haven’t received it. They’re procrastinating over the matter. It seems that they want to cause pain to Begum Zia as much as they can by making a delay in providing the certified copy of the verdict,’ the BNP leader said.

Moudud, a BNP standing committee member, said the verdict that convicted Khaleda in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case will not sustain if an appeal is made against it with the apex court.

He said the absence of Khaleda has united their leaders and activists and made the party stronger as they are now committed to ensuring the release of their chairperson from jail through a peaceful movement. ‘BNP is now more organised, united and stronger than any time in the past.’

The BNP leader said Khaleda has been a victim of government’s political vengeance. ‘The government wants to make her suffer. But, the more you’ll give her pain the more you’ll lose your votes.’

He alleged that the government is showing a brutal attitude towards Khaleda as it is an ‘inhuman regime’.

Moudud who met Khaleda in jail on Saturday said she has been kept in solitary confinement in a room on the first floor of the jail.

He opposed the IG Prisons’ statement that court’s permission is necessary to give a former Prime Minister division. ‘It’s totally an unconstitutional act that a former prime minister and opposition leader has been kept lonely in an inhuman condition for three days without giving her division.’

Mentioning that he went to jail twice under the current government, Moudud said he got division moments after going to the jail. ‘From where did they make a new law regarding Begum Zia now?’

Nagorik Odhikar Andolon Forum arranged the programme at Segunbagichha in the city protesting conviction of Khaleda and her son Tarique Rahman in a ‘conspiratorial’ case.

Meanwhile, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi at a press briefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office alleged that the government has taken a move to show their chairperson arrested in political cases only to delay her release from jail.

He said their party lawyers will free her from jail through a legal battle.