Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said the leaders of BNP work to protect the interests of Begum Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Rahman, not for the welfare of the countrymen.
�It seems that this party (BNP) is not for the people as its leaders don�t work to protect the people�s interest,� he told a press conference at the meeting room of his ministry at the Secretariat in the capital.
The minister said all the statements of BNP leaders are based on the issues of Begum Zia�s health, her bail and her son Tarique Rahman.
Criticizing a comment of BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Begum Zia�s bail issue, Hasan said it is a matter of court whether she (Khaleda Zia) would get bail or not. The government has nothing to say in this regard, he added.
Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary, said they have appealed to the higher court against the lower court judgment as the lower court gave five-year imprisonment. But, later, the higher court increased the imprisonment to 10 years.
�Now, it�s a matter of the higher court whether she (Khaleda Zia) would get bail or not,� he added.
He said, �I think, BNP tries to give a political shape to this matter. They are trying to say that Begum Zia has been confined. But she was not confined and she is not a political prisoner. She is in prison being convicted in a graft case and only the court can release her.�
Hasan said their (BNP) all statements, movement and human chain are centering the release of Begum Zia. �So, the party is not for the countrymen. And the party is for Begum Zia and Tarique Rahman,� he added.