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Tarique’s indictment a conspiracy

BNP reacts to Aug 21 grenade attack trial

Staff Correspondent
Declaring countrywide protest rallies for tomorrow, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir yesterday said indicting Tarique Rahman in an August 21 grenade attack case is nothing but a conspiracy to keep him away from the next national polls.
“None out of the 61 witnesses had mentioned his [Tarique] name before further investigation into the allegations. Even the prime accused Mufti Hannan in his statement said he had never been to Hawa Bhaban [BNP
chairperson's former political office] or met Tarique Rahman,” Fakhrul told a press briefing at the party's Nayapaltan office.
As part of the programme, the BNP will stage a protest rally in front of its office tomorrow.
A Dhaka court on Sunday framed charges against 30 accused including Tarique in the supplementary charge sheet of the killing case.
The BNP leader alleged that the present investigation officer Abdul Kahar Akand has named BNP's Senior Vice-chairman Tarique Rahman only to satisfy the government. “He [Akand] aspired to win nomination from Awami League in the last general elections. He was brought back from retirement to carry out further investigation.”
Fakhrul condemned the government initiative to try Tarique in the grenade attack case and demanded withdrawal of all the cases against him. "Tarique Rahman has emerged as a popular leader among the youth. He has started working to make Bangladesh a modern country.”
He claimed that Tarique was not allowed the privilege of self-defence before framing of the charge in the case.
When he was told by a newsman that a notice was published in different newspapers asking Tarique to appear before the court, Fakhrul said “Everything should not be seen from a legal point of view. It's a political case. Tarique Rahman has been indicted in the case because of political reasons.”
Even Tarique Rahman was not allowed to appoint a lawyer to organise his defence in thecourt, he argued.
Responding to a journalist's query about whether a fugitive accused can get this opportunity, he said, “We have nothing to say if you [journalists] talk in the tone of the ruling party... He [Tarique] is abroad with permission from a court for medical treatment. Despite knowing that, another court has shown him as a fugitive."
Several pro-BNP lawyers and party leaders were present at the press conference.
Meanwhile, Jamaat-e-Islami acting chief Maqbul Ahmed yesterday in a statement demanded release of party's Secretary General Ali Ahsan Muhammad Mojaheed and asked the government to withdraw the allegations against him.
The government has indicted him (Mojaheed) in the August 21 grenade attack case only to exact political revenge, he alleged.
Twenty-four AL leaders and workers were killed and around 300 others were injured in the gruesome attack on an AL rally on August21,2004.