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Khaleda's remarks on army provocative

Says ISPR

Staff Correspondent
The public relations wing of the military has dismissed Khaleda Zia's remarks on Monday about the army as "misleading and provocative”.
In a press release issued yesterday, the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said, “Addressing a rally at the Polo Ground in Chittagong on Monday, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia made false allegations that army officers are being abducted to destroy the army. The remarks, which were covered by different media, are misleading and provocative."
Through this [speech], the ISPR observed, an evil attempt was made to tarnish the image of a well-disciplined force like the army and create chaos.
“The nation does not expect such false, provocative and irresponsible statements from a person who is holding a responsible position as that of leader of the opposition," it added.
In her speech at the Chittagong rally, Khaleda blasted the government for what she said was a deterioration of law and order. She alleged, “Even army officials are now disappearing. Many have lost their jobs.”
The ISPR statement said the army is run by specific army codes. “If there is any deviation, measures are taken as per the law. And there is no scope to create confusion here."
When action is taken against anyone in accordance with the army act, the army is not destroyed; it rather becomes a more disciplined and professional force, the statement continued.
Bangladesh Army is a national institution and everybody's cooperation is expected in safeguarding its good name and fame.
Asked if the BNP had any specific information about Khaleda's claim regarding “disappearances of army officers”, the party's acting secretary general Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said he did not know anything about the matter and would try to gather information about it.
About the ISPR release, he said he knew nothing about it. As The Daily Star read out the statement and sought his views, the BNP leader declined to comment.
Earlier on January 4, another press release from the ISPR said an army officer was being tried by court martial while another was facing an arrest warrant on charges of their involvement in anti-disciplinary activities.
The two are Lieutenant Colonel Hasin and Major Zia respectively.
The ISPR added that a field general court martial formed on December 11 lastyearwas recording the statements of prosecution witnesses in line with the recommendations of a high-level court of inquiry.
The court of inquiry was formed on July 11 last year after the arrest of Lt Col Hasin andLtColZayeed.
The ISPR press release came in the wake of some newspaper reports that one Major Zia had been abducted, confined and interrogated at an unknown place by an intelligence agency.
Refuting the reports that the authorities concerned did not start trying Lt Col Zayeed, Lt Col Hasin and Lt Col Ehsan Yusuf though 150 days had passed since their arrest, the ISPR said the information was “totally baseless".
The press release, however, did not go into details about Lt Col Ehsan Yusuf and Lt Col Zayeed.
It said Major Zia was issued an order to join unit 3 E Bengal after he completed his course at the MIST (Military Institute of Science and Technology). Recently, he was given an attachment order to the Headquarters Logistics Area in Dhaka cantonment on charges of his involvement in anti-disciplinary activities.
As Zia absconded instead of joining the Headquarters Logistics Area, an arrest warrant was issued against him.