Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today said there is no constitutional provision that court could not be sited at the prison.

“The lawyers of BNP have passed 10 years to complete the Zia Orphanage Trust Corruption trial process. Now they want to delay the trial process of the Zia Charitable Trust Corruption case terming the sitting of court at prison as the violation of the constitution,” he told journalists at the AL president’s political office in city’s Dhanmondi.

Earlier, Quader was addressing a joint of Awami League with the presidents and general secretaries of AL associate bodies and AL north and south city units.

AL Joint General Secretaries Mahbub-ul-Alam Hanif and Dr Dipu Moni, Organising Secretaries Ahmad Hossain, AFM Bahauddin Nasim and BM Mozammel Haque, Publicity and Publication Secretary Dr Hasan Mahmud, Office Secretary Dr Abdus Sobhan Golap, Cultural Affairs Secretary Ashim Kumar Ukil, Science and Technology Affairs Secretary Engineer Abdus Sabur, Dhaka South city unit President Abul Hasnat, Jubo League Chairman Omar Faruque Chowdhury and General Secretary Md Harunur Rashid, Swechasebak League President Advocate Molla Md Abu Kawsar, Jatiya Sramik League President Shukkur Mahmud, Krishak League President Md Motahar Hossain Molla and Jubo Mohila League President Nazma Akther, among others, were present at the meeting.

Referring to the BNP’s remark of violation of constitution by sitting court at prison, Quader said such notion amounted to deceit and ill-motive. The leaders of BNP are violating the constitution by commenting on this issue, he added.

About a comment of BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Quader said the constitution does not bar that court could not be sited at prison.

Quader, also the road transport and bridges minister, said the court has been set up at the old prison for the convenience of BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia’s movement.

About the AL joint meeting, the ruling party general secretary said the meeting was held for expediting the organisational activities ahead of the upcoming national elections.