Trashing media reports on BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s observation over the formation of Jatiya Oikyafront, led by Dr Kamal Hossain, ahead of the 11th preliminary polls, party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Wednesday said there is no room for confusion about national unity, reports UNB.
"In the evening on the Eid day, we, the members of the standing committee, went to meet madam (Khaleda) at her Gulshan residence. Now, a few media are creating confusion in public mind by spreading completely untrue, fabricated and baseless reports on that meeting," he said.
Talking to reporters over the matter, Fakhrul said, "I want to make it clear there's no scope for any confusion about the national unity. Such propaganda and misleading news have been published only to create confusion about the national unity."
He said their party thinks a vested quarter is conspiring to tarnish the image of Khaleda Zia and BNP by providing wrong information to people.
BNP standing committee members met Khaleda on Saturday night and exchanged greetings with her on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.
Some newspapers, quoting anonymous BNP standing committee members, reported that Khaleda Zia told them at the meeting that BNP made a mistake by forming Jatiya Oikyafront under the leadership of Dr Kamal Hossain who has personal enmity with Prime Minister Sheikh Husain, but holds the same ideology and always talks about his leader Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Protesting the reports, Fakhrul said they only exchanged greetings with their ailing chairperson Khaleda Zia. "We just shared our joy and sorrows."
He also said Khaleda only gave them a patient hearing, but she did not make any comment in support or against their remarks.
The BNP secretary general hoped that the media would provide authentic information and publish objective reports.
On March 25 last, Khaleda was released from jail for six months upon an executive order considering her age and humanitarian ground.
The government passed the executive order for her release on two conditions -- receiving treatment staying at her Gulshan residence and not leaving the country. She has been staying at her Gulshan residence since she was freed.
Khaleda was sent to Old Dhaka Central Jail after she had been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment by a special court in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case on February 8, 2018.
SZA