PM Hasina to party leaders: Don’t make provocative remarks about Khaleda verdict

Awami League President and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has advised leaders of her party not to make provocative remarks about a graft case verdict that sent her political arch-rival, BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, to jail for five years. “Awami League leaders should not make any remark about the verdict that might help BNP draw public sympathy,” two Awami League presidium members quoted Hasina as saying Friday. Asking leaders and activists of her party not to be overjoyous, Hasina also said they should show restraint and refrain from making any provocative remarks about the court verdict. On Thursday, Judge Dr Md Akhtaruzzaman of Dhaka’s Fifth Special Judge Court sentenced former prime minister Khaleda to five years’ imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case. The same court also sentenced each of the five other accused, including Khaleda’s son and BNP’s acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman, to 10 years’ imprisonment and fined them Tk2.10 crore each. Hasina in her directive for Awami League leaders also said: “All of you must be careful so that the BNP cannot gain public sympathy. They [BNP members] might try their utmost to benefit from the judgment by politicizing it.” The two presidium members also said the ruling party would also emphasize the Awami League did not influence the verdict as the case was filed during the quasi-military regime of Fakhruddin Ahmed in 2007 and the verdict was delivered by a court. Party chief Hasina also instructed Awami League leaders to talk along the same lines as decided by the top brass, they said. As Khaleda has already been convicted, the Awami League leadership said they would campaign against Khaleda and challenge the legality of her involvement in politics once she gets out on bail, they added. According to party insiders, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader and Publicity and Publication Affairs Secretary Hasan Mahmud decided to come down heavily on the BNP and its chief Khaleda at their press briefing on Thursday, but they softened their tone following Hasina’s instructions.This article was first published on banglatribune.com