Dhaka: BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday alleged that the government has resorted to various ‘evil tricks’ to delay the bail for Khaleda Zia in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

‘The government’s main plan is to keep Khaleda Zia in jail, and keep her away from politics and the election...Our madam was supposed to get bail. They (govt) are delaying it resorting to various strategies to prolong her stay in jail,’ he said.

The BNP leader came up with the comments while talking to reporters at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, reports the UNB.

Fakhrul alleged that different media outlets ran misleading information about his meeting with eminent jurist Dr Kamal Hossain.

He said he along with some lawyers of their chairperson met Dr Kamal on Tuesday to have his legal suggestions regarding their chairperson’s case and provided him with a copy of the verdict in which Khaleda was convicted.

‘We’d a long discussion. He (Kamal) said he would give us advice after going through the verdict. Except, a few ones, the journalists didn’t feel it necessary to talk to me or Dr Kamal Hossain before running reports on it,’ the BNP leader said.

Mentioning that a leading newspaper reported that Dr Kamal refused to give legal advice, he said this is not the right information. ‘The newspaper belittled Kamal Hossain. He (Kamal) listened to us with sympathy. He also expressed his wonder as our leader was convicted in such a case. He will give us legal advice after reading the verdict.’

The BNP leader said the government will neither be able to weaken their party nor split it by resorting to repressive acts and foiling their peaceful programmes.

Accusing the government of arresting their party’s over 5,000 leaders and activists centring Khaleda’s verdict, he said even the arrested BNP female and elderly leaders and activists are not given bail as part of a blueprint of the government.

About Opposition Leader Raushon Ershad’s call to the Prime Minister to save her party withdrawing the party’s ministers, Fakhrul said the country has the ‘so-called’ opposition which itself does not know its identity.

The BNP leader also said the Opposition Leader’ comment has manifested that the current parliament does not represent people while the country lacks democracy.

About BNP’s letter sent to the Election Commission (EC) regarding the Prime Minister’s election campaign, he said Sheikh Hasina is unilaterally carrying out the campaign spending public money when BNP is being obstructed from doing normal political activities. ‘So, we think it’s contrary to a level-playing field. And it’s the duty of the Election Commission to stop it, and ensure equal opportunities for all.’