Dhaka: BNP on Tuesday alleged that its chairperson Khaleda Zia is being deprived of her constitutionally guaranteed legal right to get bail through various tricks resorted by the government.

‘Our leader Khaleda Zia has been kept in jail in a completely false case. She is not being given bail depriving her of her constitutionally-recognised legal right,’ said BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

He came up with the remarks while addressing a human chain programme organised by BNP in front of the Jatiya Press Club demanding Khaleda Zia’s release.

The BNP leader alleged that the government is resorting to various ploys to prolong her stay in jail.

Fakhrul called up all political parties to get united to save the country and ‘restore’ democracy. ‘Let’s launch a united movement to free the county from the grasp of the current undemocratic government.’

Speaking at the programme, party standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain said the government wants to prolong Khaleda’s stay in jail so that it can hold another ‘farcical’ election like 2014 one keeping BNP out of the race.

He warned that the country’s people will not allow the ruling party to hold any election without the participation of Khaleda, BNP and the 20-party alliance. ‘We’ll surely join the polls under the leadership of our leader (Khaleda) after having an election-time neutral government in place.

Another party standing committee member Moudud Ahmed said their chairperson will come out of jail soon through a legal battle foiling the government’s all tricks and plots.

He said they will force the government through a movement to hold the next polls under a neutral government by dissolving parliament. ‘We’ll also force it to deploy army during the polls.’

BNP standing committee members Mirza Abbas, Nazrul Islam Khan, vice-chairmen Barkat Ullah Bulu and Abdul Awal Mintoo, among others, spoke at the programme.

As part of its countrywide scheduled programme, BNP formed the human chain in the city where hundreds of BNP leaders and followers took part in front of the Jatiya Press Club amid tight security.

They chanted different slogans demanding Khaleda Zia’s immediate release.

BNP’s all districts and city units also observed the similar programme at their convenient time and places.

The party is also scheduled to hold a sit-in programme across the country, including the Jatiya Press Club, on Thursday to press the same demand.