Staff Reporter :
Ahead of a graft case verdict, BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia claims herself innocent. She said, the cases filed against her are baseless and politically motivated. Apart from this, the BNP chief said she is ready to face any situation to uphold the democracy and rights of the people.
“I am assuring the countrymen that I did not commit anything unfair and never involved in corruption. The corruption charge brought against me is false,’ the BNP Chairperson said it at a press conference in her Gulshan office on Wednesday.
A special court in Dhaka will pronounce its verdict in a graft case filed against her today (Thursday).
“I was implicated in a false case and a verdict is going to be announced against me tomorrow. The government is in fear about the verdict. The ruling quarter for unleashing a reign of terror across the country ahead of the verdict scheduled to be announced tomorrow (Thursday),” alleged Khaleda.
The former prime minister said, “It is a false case and it is using as a tool to harass my family and me. If justice is delivered, I believe the court will acquit me of all charges.”
“However, if the judgment is delivered to please the rulers, it will be a history of disgrace. The people of Bangladesh do not pardon the ones who commit such crimes,” the BNP chief said.
Referring to the resignation of former Chief Justice SK Sinha, Khaleda Zia said, “SK Sinha was forced to step down and sent abroad. The incident cast doubt in people’s mind that no court can show the courage to establish justice here.”
“I am also in doubt to get justice as the AL government had turned the justice delivery system into a farce by acts of politicisation and intimidation,” she added.
The former prime minister and five others, including her son Tarique Rahman, were accused of embezzling Tk 21 million foreign donations meant for the Trust.
Claiming her innocence, Khaleda Zia claimed that she was not involved with the Zia Orphanage Trust in any stage.
Rather, Khaleda Zia alleged, the ruling party men looted public resources worth millions. “Such scams are not probed; even if it is probed, the report is not made public,” she said, adding that the Awami League regime stopped all means of protests against all its misdeeds.
Khaleda said the AL regime couldn’t achieve anything by showing me fear. I will never bow down to any pressure from any quarter. I am ready to face any situation. Nothing could keep her and her party away from the ongoing peaceful agitation demanding free, fair and inclusive polls.
She also alleged that the government was trying to keep her away from the next general election.
“The government wanted to cling to power for long by keeping me away from polls using courts. But I think it would not fulfill their intention of impose one-party rule and score goal in empty post,” she added.
“The history witnessed that the autocrat Ayub Khan tried to keep popular politicians out of election, but failed. The Ayub government collapsed to popular uprising,” she said.
Khaleda Zia also said, “The emergency government led and backed by Fakhruddin and Moinuddin failed to make me agree to leave the country.”
“There was close friendship with the Amir of Kuwait and Shahid President Ziaur Rahman. The Amir donated money to keep the Shahid President’s memory alive. The then foreign minister Col. (rtd) Mustafizur Rahman brought the money from Kuwait. I was never involved with the trust and any process of it,” Khaleda Zia said.
The BNP chief said, “The money is not government’s own resources. The trust is not a government organisation. It is totally private trust. Not a single taka of the trust was misused. All of the money of the trust is in its bank account. The money increased to three times with its interests.”
Khaleda Zia said, “They filed the case against me after preparing false papers. My lawyers proved it before court.”
“Insha Allah I will be acquitted in the case. Those who were involved behind filing the case should be punished,” the BNP chief said.
She said that the then emergency government also filed many cases against the Awmai League leaders.
“Many AL leaders were convicted. But they came to power after understanding with the Fakruddin-Moinuddin’s emergency government,” she said.
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Standing Committee Member Dr. Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Barrister Moudud Ahmed and Mirza Abbas, among with others, were present.
