A day after BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's statement on not "indulging in politics of vengeance and forgiving her arch rival Sheikh Hasina," Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader yesterday termed it "farcical and ironical".

"It's nothing but farcical and ironical when the persons, who attempted to murder Sheikh Hasina on August 21, said this," Quader, also minister for road transport and bridges, told a rally in Jamalpur.

At a Dhaka programme, AL Joint General Secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif called upon Khaleda to prove her innocence in the Zia OrphanageTrust corruption case.

"Did Sheikh Hasina file the case against you [Khaleda]? Did the incumbent government file the case? The case was filed during the caretaker government. So, we can't take the responsibility ofthe case, "he said.

On Thursday, Khaleda said, "I clearly announced that I have personally forgiven her [Hasina], despite Sheikh Hasina's continuous indecent statements and vengeful behaviour against me and Shaheed Ziaur Rahman's family members. I will not indulge in politics of vengeance against her."

She said this on her self-defence statement before a Dhaka court in the case.

She also said the great national leaders like Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Abdul Hamid Khan Bhasani and others were sent to jail following court verdicts but those who had convicted the innocent leaders were the real criminals.

Quoting her statement, Hanif said the Pakistan government sent Bangabandhu to jail again and again in a false sedition case as he worked for the independence of Bangladesh.

"It is pathetic to compare the case against Bangabandhu with the corruption case against you [Khaleda]. It can no way be accepted,” he added. Hanif was speaking at a discussion organised by Bangladesh United Islamic Party at Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh.