Syed Nahas Pasha
bdnews24.com UK Correspondent
London, May 16 (bdnews24.com)—Khaleda Zia has blamed former army chief Moeen U Ahmed for the Jan 11, 2007 changeover.
"Moeen, standing on the heap of ruins of BNP, wanted to be Ziaur Rahman," she said on Monday.
The former prime minister made the remarks in her address to a gathering arranged by party activists at Grosvenor House at Park Lane in London.
Khaleda claimed the then caretaker government chief Fakhruddin Ahmed was a puppet driven by Moeen who 'was backed by foreign powers'.
The BNP chairperson said they pursued the 'Minus Two' formula' (exiling Khaleda and Awami League chief Sheikh Hasina from politics) but in reality they wanted to wipe out BNP by implementing 'Minus One' formula.
The opposition chief on May 15 reached UK in her seven-day tour to Britain. She is expected to return home on May 29 after visiting the US.
Scores of party leaders and activists welcomed Khaleda when she reached the hotel around 4:30pm local time.
The hall was overflowed with party leaders and activists who also gathered outside it.
Her elder son BNP's senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman was due to attend the programme but he did not.
In her 55-minute speech at the hotel's Great Hall in the evening, Khaleda touched on a number of issues including the Bangladesh's political situation, BNP's demand for mid-term elections, caretaker government system, border issues, constitution amendment, war crimes trial, 'politicisation' of the judiciary and consumer inflation.
Khaleda alleged the incumbent Awami League government is the outcome of the conspiracy of Fakhruddin and Moeen.
"Awami League itself has admitted it as they claimed their movement led to the Fakhruddin-Moeen government."
The BNP chief said Fakhruddin and Moeen U handed over power to Awami League by holding elections to save their skin.
The opposition chief repeated her allegations that the 2008 general elections had not been fair.
The programme, presided over by UK BNP's acting president Mia Monirul Alam, was also addressed by a number of leaders of the unit.
Terming Moeen 'corrupt', Khaleda said during the 2007-8 caretaker government, businessmen were thrown in prison and money was extracted by torturing them.
She said if Moeen and Fakhruddin were tried according to law, they would be convicted.
Pointing at the former army chief Moeen, she asked, "If you didn't commit corruption, why don't you appear before the parliamentary committee that has summoned you twice?
"Why have you fled the country?"
Khaleda continued, "Moeen wanted to be the president by forming a political party. And 'Jago Bangladesh' was formed for this purpose.
"But, the traitors are neither helped by Allah nor by the people. So, Moeen's wish remained unfulfilled."
She termed corruption charges against Tarique and BNP leaders 'false'.
The former prime minister claimed a false campaign was being dished out by paying the mass media with the help of foreign powers.
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