BNP cries foul as court jails Tarique Rahman for life

The BNP has said the court verdict on the August 21 grenade attack case was “dictated” by the government.

“The BNP thinks that the verdict is politically motivated. It is a clear sign of political vengeance by the ruling party. We are rejecting this verdict,” said BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir at a news briefing in Dhaka on Wednesday.

“It’s unfortunate that the government dictated the court’s verdict out of vengeance and set another bad example as it has been done with the imprisonment of the country’s leader Begum Khaleda Zia in a false case,” he said.

His comments came hours after the announcement of the verdict, at the party’s Nayapaltan central office.

Earlier in the day, after a wait for over 14 years, a speedy trial tribunal sentenced 19 people to death and BNP acting chief Tarique Rahman along with 18 others to life imprisonment in two cases filed over the August 21 grenade attack.

To condemn the jailing of its acting chief, the BNP announced a five-day programme, including street protests and black-flag processions.