War crimes trials a 'farce', says BNP chief Khaleda Zia

BNP chief Khaleda Zia has warned of road marches towards Dhaka to topple the government.

She urged her audience at a rally at Bogra's Altafunnesa playground that they should prepare for such programmes in future.

The former prime minister said, "The government has failed in every sector. Neither the people nor their sovereignty is secure in their hands anymore."

She said that was why the people had risen. She said, "The people will have to be march towards Dhaka in future to unseat the government and see them off."

Leader of the main opposition, Khaleda led a road march towards the north-western district of Chapainawabganj from Dhaka. On its way, the road march has halted in Bogra for the night. Khaleda will stay the night at the town's circuit house.

The two-day march will conclude on Wednesday with Khaleda addressing another rally at the Chapainawabganj Government High School grounds. Before that, Khaleda is expected to address a rally at Naogaon before reaching the destination.

The road march to Chapainawabganj was the opposition's second such programme. The BNP is set conduct another march towards Chittagong later this month.

Khaleda began addressing a rally of thousands around 5pm.

'ICT a farce'

The opposition leader alleged that the government was out to annihilate BNP-led four-party alliance. She said the government had set up an International Crimes Tribunal with party men towards such an end.

"This is not a trial but farce," she said of the war crimes trials.

She demanded immediate release of Jamaate-Islami leader Motiur Rahman Nizami, Ali Ahsan Mohammed Mojaheed, Delwar Hossain Sayedee and and BNP's Salauddin Quader Chowdhury who are behind bars on war crimes charges.

Khaleda said any war crimes trial would have to be transparent and there must be provisions for foreign lawyers in that process.

The opposition leader questioned the entire process indicating that it was driven by Awami League adherents.

Aug 21 grenade attack

Khaleda claimed her elder son Tarique Rahman has been framed in the grenade attack of 2004 on an Awami League rally. Then the leader of the main opposition, Awami League president Sheikh Hasina was speaking at that rally, which came under the deadly attack.

Khaleda said, "He has been framed with false charges. And not just him, the four-party alliance's top leadership, former police chief and intelligence officials have also been framed."

They are trying to secure confessions under duress in remand, she alleged and demanded release of all those arrested in the case.

To the youth

Addressing the youth, the BNP chief said they would not get anywhere as long as the Awami League was in power. "But under my government you will get jobs. We will do all that is needed because we believe that the youth have much potential for us."

"They will have to lead country in future."

Bogra backwaters

Khaleda lamented that her late husband's home district had not seen much by way of development during the incumbent government's tenure.

A formidable stronghold of BNP, Bogra has so far been deprived, suggested Khaleda. "Whatever development there has been was during my time."

Corrosive corruption

Alleging that the entire government was riddled with corruption the BNP chief told the rally, "Every tier of the government from top to bottom is on the take."

The World Bank has suspended funding the Padma bridge for corruption of the government's top leaders, said Khaleda. She claimed that BNP also had a copy of the list of corrupt individuals that the global lending agency has submitted to the government.

Khaleda pointed to what she said was rundown condition of the roads and highways and claimed that whatever work had been was during her term in office.

Caretaker govt

Khaleda reiterated her main demand saying that the national elections must be held under a non-political caretaker government that the Awami League had abolished. Khaleda said this ploy was merely to ensure that the ruling incumbents are reelected. "But it won't be of any use."

About the Election Commission, the opposition leader told the rally that the election office had to be set up in consultation with the other parties because it was not neutral at all. "They have installed this government by rigging the elections and subsequently the commission has also rigged local elections."

Tongi to Bogra

Khaleda's convoy of more than 2,000 vehicles, set off from House Building intersection of the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway in Uttara around 10.45am.

A large number of supporters and activists of the party greeted her on her way through Uttara, Abdullahpur and Tongi. She started for Uttara from her Gulshan residence around 10.15am.

The opposition leader addressed street rallies on her way at Gazipur, Tangail, Sirajganj on her way to Bogra.

Her two-day road march will end on Wednesday in Chapainababganj with a rally in Naogaon on the way.