Tarique is right fit, Fakhrul defends decision amid Hasina attack

The BNP has chosen Tarique Rahman as acting chief because he is fit to lead the party, Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir says.

He reacted sharply on Wednesday to Prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s comments that the BNP should not have put a convict at the helm.

“The BNP, which considers itself the largest, most popular and powerful party in Bangladesh, has made a convict its chief. Couldn’t they find any other leader?” Hasina asked at a news conference. 

At a discussion later in the day, Mirza Fakhrul said Hasina’s comments on the issue were ‘unacceptable’.

“Our leader (Tarique) became the senior vice-chairman following a decision taken at our party council. And following the party constitution, he has taken charge of the party in the absence of the chairperson.

“It’s our leader we’ve picked because he is eligible. You have nothing to say here. It’s unacceptable,” he added.

The senior BNP leader claimed the charges of corruption and money laundering for which Tarique is convicted were ‘baseless’.

“You lifted the cases against yourselves. Let’s see what happens if the cases continue and the courts act independently.”

The BNP leader alleged the government has ‘destroyed the judiciary’.

He considers Hasina’s comments on talks with Britain to bring Tarique back from London and make him face justice as a ‘threat’.