Khaleda Zia's court statement 'shameless falsehood': Quader

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today described BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's statement in the court on the Awami League and its president as "shameless falsehood", saying that it will create confusions in the country's political arena.

"The shameless falsehood on Awami League and its president Sheikh Hasina by Khaleda Zia in the court on Thursday was not a political language at all, it was a street language," Quader said while exchanging views with journalists before joining a women rally at Kabirhat here this morning.

Quader, also the Road Transport and Bridges minister, said, appearing before the court, Begum Zia talked different issues and her remarks were clearly political statements which would create "confusion" in the political arena.

Khaleda Zia read out part of a long statement in self-defence during the hearing in Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case at a special court in Dhaka on Thursday.

The minister further said the then opposition leader and incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was taken to the court during the 1/11 government not showing the minimum respect and honor to her.

On the other hand, he said, the then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was taken to the sub-jail giving all modern facilities, including allocating a house.

"So, how the BNP chairperson told the court that Sheikh Hasina had been lucky that she never had to appear before a court," Quader posed a question.

The AL general secretary said Khaleda Zia bunt hundreds of people to deaths and the sky of the country is still heavy with the cry of the people who lost their near and dear ones in the BNP-Jamaat atrocities.

"Khaleda Zia is now out to earn sympathy of the people by shedding crocodile tears in the courtroom," he said.

Quader asked the BNP chairperson not to block the Dhaka-Chittagong-Cox's Bazar Highway in the name of distributing relief (among Rohingyas). "The relief distribution way will be blocked if you keep inoperative the highway," he said.

District Awami League General Secretary Ekramul Karim Chowdhury, MP, Deputy Commissioner Mahbbul Alam Talukder and Police Super M Illias Sharif were present, among others.