Online Desk : Awami League Joint General Secretary Mahbubul-Alam Hanif today called upon the BNP leaders to refrain from doing politics over the illness of the party chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia.

“BNP is spoiling the political environment by doing politics over Begum Khaleda Zia’s illness,” he said while addressing as the chief guest a food and Eid gift distribution ceremony arranged by Dhaka City North AL.

Hanif said now Khaleda Zia’s recovery from illness is the most important thing but doing politics over her illness has become prime issue to BNP instead of her recovery.
He said Khaleda Zia’ didn’t get bail in legal battle rather Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has opened the door of humanity by taking measures for keeping Khaleda Zia (who is a convict in graft cases and whose imprisonment suspension has been extended twice) at her residence by suspending her jail sentence (for 18 months so far) on humanitarian grounds and providing treatment to her.

“What could be more humanitarian effort for her (Khaleda) than it? ” he questioned.

The AL joint general secretary said it was stated earlier that Khaleda needs to be sent abroad for better treatment but now BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said the government is not sending Khaleda Zia abroad to keep her away from politics.

Mirza Fakhrul’s comment proved that their demand is for sending Khaleda Zia abroad for doing politics, not for better treatment, he mentioned.

About Mirza Fakhrul’s comment that AL does politics of vengeance, Hanif said AL doesn’t do that rather “you (BNP) did politics of vengeance”.

When BNP was in power, they perpetrated the August 21 grenade attacks targeting to kill the then Opposition Leader and AL President Sheikh Hasina and make AL leaderless, he said.

“Look back to the history. You could see your shameful acts. You (BNP) must take bear the liability of your brutal acts,” he said.

About the activities of the AL and the government during the Covid-19 crisis, he said they provided aids to 1.90 crore families while 50 lac poor people were given Tk 2, 500 cash aid each through digital medium in the last year.

He said around Taka 2, 500 cash aid has already been given to each of 40 lac people this year.

“We have proved that AL is pro-people party,” he said, adding that over 600 leaders and workers including senior leaders of the party died of Covid-19 as they worked for people during the crisis.

“We have been infected with coronavirus as we stay beside people,” he said.

Dhaka City North AL president Sheikh Bazlur Rahman chaired the ceremony while its general secretary SM Mannan Kachi and lawmaker Mohammad Habib Ahsan were present, among others.