Amit Shah spoke to Khaleda, BNP insists

The BNP has reaffirmed its claim that India's ruling BJP president has spoken to Khaleda Zia even though Amit Shah himself has rubbished such reports.

Senior Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 10 Jan 2015, 05:32 PM
Updated : 10 Jan 2015, 05:32 PM

In a statement on Saturday, Khaleda's Press Secretary Maruf Kamal Khan insisted the conversation had indeed taken place.

Khan on Thursday told the media that Shah had called the BNP chief to enquire about her health on Wednesday night.

But several BJP leaders told bdnews24.com that it was highly unlikely, though the BNP stuck to its claim.

Several Bangladeshi news media contacted Shah on Saturday amid the confusion.

"I never called her (Khaleda Zia) but why should these baseless reports be carried?" the BJP chief told bdnews24.com.

He made similar remarks to Ekattor TV and Channel24.

Khan swiftly issued a statement dubbing the TV reports "propaganda".

"I'd like to reaffirm that the information I gave was 100 percent correct," he said.

Khaleda has been at her Gulshan office since Jan 3 when police barred her from going to the Naya Paltan headquarters.

She reportedly fell sick when police used pepper spray on her supporters inside the office premises two days later.

The BNP chief has not directly addressed the media since calling for a nationwide indefinite transport blockade.

"I'm reiterating that Khaleda Zia had a telephone conversation with Mr Amit Shah in my presence," the press secretary further claimed.

The party faced strong criticism from two US Congressmen after reports claimed they had condemned Khaleda's 'confinement'.

UK-based IB Times said a senior aide of Khaleda's son Tarique Rahman had sent them the statement about the Congressmen's purported views on Bangladesh politics.

Speaking to bdnews24.com, Shah said: "I have told other Bangladesh media as well that if I had made the call, why would I deny, but if I have not spoken or made the call, why should such stories be floated."

But Khan insisted that the BJP chief was too busy to give an interview to any foreign media.

He said he was not questioning whether Shah had indeed had talked to the media.

"I hope everyone will refrain from attempts to make a simple issue complex to divert attention from other important issues and bring an end to this debate here," Khan said.