Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Tuesday alleged that the government is creating administrative obstacles to the release of its acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Addressing a press briefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office, party spokesman Asaduzzaman Ripon urged the government to immediately remove the barriers to expedite Fakhrul’s release.

‘Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has got bails from the High Court in the cases filed against him. Now administrative obstacles are being created to his release… He’s not being released from jail for lack of government’s goodwill.’ he said.

The BNP leader said their party expects that the government will take steps so that Fakhrul and other BNP leaders and activists can walk out of jails without facing any administrative obstruction.

Ripon, BNP’s international affairs secretary, urged the Prime Minister to change her government’s negative attitude towards the release of the opposition leaders on bail.

On 18 June, the High Court granted bail to Fakhrul in three separate criminal cases filed in connection with violence during the BNP-led alliance’s anti-government movement.

The government on 21 June filed three petitions with the SC seeking stay on the HC orders.

On Monday, the Supreme Court fixed 25 June for hearing the government petitions.

Ripon said Fakhrul has been in jail with various critical diseases for nearly five and a half months. ‘He is now in a very bad condition as he has lost 16 kg weight.’

He said the opposition leaders are going to court for bails showing respect to laws, but the government is harassing and oppressing them using the law and lower courts.

The BNP leader urged the government to make the democratic system effective in the country through cooperation and understanding with the opposition.