‘Khaleda wrote that article’

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has criticised BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia for writing an article in The Washington Times, a US newspaper, in which she had apparently advocated the cancellation of Bangladesh’s preferential trade partner status.

Khaleda Zia had earlier in the day denied having written any such article, but Hasina insisted she indeed was the author.

Hasina told Parliament on Saturday, “There is a lot of similarity between that article and her (Khaleda Zia’s) speech today.”

“There is no use denying it. It says here – Khaleda Zia’s article, former Prime Minister and present opposition leader. This is available on the Internet.”

Khaleda Zia was facing a volley of criticism from ruling party leaders who held her responsible for the US move suspending the country’s GSP privilege.

The BNP chairperson told her detractors in Parliament: “It’s said I wrote a letter in order to have these privileges stopped. But I wrote no letter.”

At this point, Sheikh Hasina held up a copy of the Washington Times article written by Khaleda Zia even while she was making her speech denying the charge.

The BNP chief’s response to the exhibited paper was: “This is not my letter. I can prove it -- some say an article in my name was published in a foreign news outlet. I sent no such letters.”

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held up the article to say, “She recommended the enforcement of ‘other sanctions’ to put a stop to the economic activities of the country. Do you know what this other sanctions mean?”

“I am mentioned in this article 12 times. It is all right if you choose to write against me. But why against the country?”

The Prime Minister said, “We are being very tolerant. America has withdrawn the GSP. Whoever drafted her (Khaleda Zia) speech did a very good job.”

“America has been threatening to cancel the GSP ever since 2007. We have worked to improve workers’ condition. Garment workers used to get Tk 1500 to Tk 1600 when the BNP was in power. We have increased it by 82 percent.”

The leader of the opposition wrote to the Washington Times suggesting that the GSP be revoked.