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Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum, a platform of the pro-BNP lawyers, claimed that a total of 1,249 leaders and activists of BNP and its affiliated organisations were sentenced to different jail terms in 79 cases in last 14 weeks. It also claimed that the government has arrested a total of 21,835 BNP men since October 28 this year.
The claim was made on Monday from a press conference organised by the Ainjibi Forum at the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) building.
The press conference was held to protest a confession of Agriculture Minister and also Awami League Presidium Member Abdur Razzak's recent statement made in a televised interview where he claimed that “jailed BNP leaders were offered release from incarceration in exchange for their participation in the upcoming national elections but they declined the offer.”
Barrister Kayser Kamal, central Secretary General of the Ainjibi Forum and also Legal Affairs Secretary of BNP, read a written statement at the press conference.
He said, “We have noticed the recent statement made in a televised interview by Agriculture Minister Abdur Razzak. The minister said, Awami League has made all the efforts to bring BNP to the national polls. But BNP did not even agree to the proposal to release all the leaders from jail in one night. He also referred to the Election Commission who has repeatedly said that the election will be deferred if BNP joins elections.
Not only was the deferment of the polls, but also it was said that all BNP men will be released from jail. Abdur Razzak said, if 20,000 leaders and activists of BNP were not arrested, cars would not have run in Bangladesh today on the day of the hartal. There was no alternative. We have done all this thoughtfully. If they were not kept in jail, the country would have been dysfunctional.”
Barrister Kayser further said, “This type of statement of a leader of the policy-making level of the ruling Awami League proves how all the constitutional institutions of the state have been mastered by Sheikh Hasina's government. This statement of Awami League leader Abdur Razzak is actually a confessional statement of subjugation of the constitutional institutions by the fascist government.”
Ainjibi Forum’s central President Advocate A J Mohammad Ali, Vice President Barrister M Badruddoza, Joint Secretary General Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal, Forum’s SC unit Secretary Gazi Kamrul Islam Sajal, among others, were present at the press conference.