Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Monday termed ‘false and baseless’ state minister for foreign affairs M Shahriar Alam’s statement about handing over of passport by its acting chairman Tarique Rahman’s Bangladeshi passport and relinquishing his nationality.

Speaking at a press conference, party senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi also warned that they will take legal steps against the state minister for his ‘false and baseless’ statement about Tarique.

‘The state minister for foreign affairs told a blatant lie. We challenge the Bangladesh High Commission to show Tarique Rahman’s Bangladeshi passport if he submitted it…Spreading lies against political opponents only to appease the Prime Minister and retain the cabinet portfolio is equivalent to selling one’s own soul,’ he said.

The BNP leader said Shahriar’s such comment has once again exposed that Awami League has turned into a ‘centre of excellence for spreading baseless, imaginary and false statements.

Addressing a reception hosted by the UK Awami League in honour of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in London, Shahriar said Tarique, living in London, gave up his nationality by handing over his Bangladesh passport to the UK Home Office almost four years ago.

The UK Home Office sent his passport to the Bangladesh High Commission, he added.

Protesting the state minister’s comment, Rizvi said, ‘No one of the Zia family married any foreigner and they also didn’t accept citizenship of any country of the world… Those who marry foreigners and hold different posts of other countries surrender their passports.’

He said the Prime Minister’s niece British MP Tulip Siddiq loves to identify her as a British citizen with pride, not a Bangladeshi one.

The BNP leader also alleged that the most family members of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, including her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, got married foreigners and they are living in different countries taking the citizenship of those countries.