AL cannot decide whether or not Khaleda can do politics: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has said that Awami League is in no position to decide if BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia can partake in politics or contest in the upcoming elections.
"The ruling party's statements on Khaleda being barred from contesting in the next election is not lawful as she has every right to do so," Fakhrul told The Business Standard.
"Even though the BNP chairperson is well within her rights to obtain treatment abroad, the government denying her the permission itself is illegitimate. We do not believe in Awami league's political rhetoric. So, their statements seem baseless to us," he remarked.
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Fakhrul reiterated that Begum Zia herself, along with the party, will make the call in this regard, not the government.
Whether or not Khaleda will participate in BNP's ongoing political development depends on the condition of her health and the party's consensus.
In regards to the government's perspective and the recent statement by Law Minister Anisul Huq, Political Analyst DR Maruf Mallick said, "This is one kind of political trap by the government to mitigate pressure from the local and international community for holding free and fair elections."
"Also, the government does not believe Begum Zia is physically fit to move politically," he added.
BNP should, however, take the opportunity of its chairperson's political participation, because Khaleda is considered an unparalleled leader for the party, Mallick said.
"If she can make even a slightly political move or present audio, video messages for the countrymen, it would be much more effective and quite tremendous for BNP's ongoing demonstrations," the analyst remarked.
The BNP leader has been convicted of corruption cases in Zia Orphanage Trust and sentenced to 10 years in jail. In another corruption case involving Zia Charitable Trust she was given seven years of imprisonment.
Her sentences have been suspended by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on humanitarian grounds because of her poor health.
