'No revenge on Hasina'

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia yesterday said she would not indulge in politics of vengeance despite her political arch rival Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's “abusive remarks” about Ziaur Rahman's family members.

“I clearly announced that I have personally forgiven her [Hasina], despite Sheikh Hasina's continuous indecent statements and vengeful behaviour against me and Shaheed Ziaur Rahman's family members. I will not indulge in politics of vengeance against her,” Khaleda said in a statement.

The former prime minister said this while delivering her self-defence statement before a court in Bakshibazar area of Dhaka in connection with the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case.

She claimed that she always tried to create an atmosphere of tolerance and compromise.

“A few days ago at a press conference, I talked about forgiveness, forgetting bitterness … I urged her, 'let's come and build a culture of tolerance in politics' which is badly needed for democracy. I have also proposed for a consensus on the honouring of former national leaders of the country to create an environment of mutual respect and understanding.

“But everyone knows how this generosity was taken … there is no democracy in the country, no effective parliament, election system has been turned into a farce,” she alleged.

Khaleda said they have always proposed resolving different issues through dialogue.

Portraying a gloomy picture of the country's law and order, the BNP chief alleged that the country's prisons have been filled up with political leaders and activists and people of different opinion to that of the government.

Alleging that hundreds of crores of taka were plundered from the country, Khaleda said not a single sector was free from corruption.

Regarding the corruption case filed against her, Khaleda said, “A verdict will be given against us as per the will of the ruling quarter. But I want to believe that you will do justice with courage and honesty as per the law and being free from the influence of the government.

“Although our judiciary is claimed to be fully independent, some recent incidents are questioning this claim … it will be proved whether the judges are allowed to carry out judicial activities independently, lawfully and following their conscience.”

Saying that the great national leaders like Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani and others were sent to jail following court verdicts, the BNP chief said those who had convicted the innocent people were the real criminals.

Claiming that the Awami League assumed power through backdoor negotiations with the army-backed caretaker government, Khaleda said, “Even after that we accepted the election results for the sake of the constitution and democracy. We spoke for cooperation with the government. But how they behaved in return to our calls is known to all.”

Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman of the Special Judge Court-5 of Dhaka recorded her statement for over one and a half hours.

Earlier in the day, defence lawyer submitted two separate petitions for confirming Khaleda's ad-interim bail in the Zia Orphanage and Zia Charitable trust graft cases which the prosecution opposed.

After the hearing, the judge extended her bail until November 16, when Khaleda will continue with her statement on self-defence.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court yesterday cleared the way for a lower court concerned to run trial proceedings against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case.

The apex court dismissed a leave to appeal petition filed by Khaleda seeking stay on the trial proceedings and to allow her lawyer to cross examine its nine prosecution witnesses and further cross examine two prosecution witnesses.