DHAKA: BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said the government is slowly moving to implement the ‘minus one’ formula with an aim to remove Khaleda Zia out of the picture. 

The senior BNP leader made the remarks to reporters at a press conference in BNP’s Naya Paltan central office on Monday noon (January 29).

He said, “We are closely observing the situation and if the government finally moves to implement the minus one formula, the people of this country will prevent it.”

“The ruling party men are influencing the judiciary to convict Khaleda Zia. So it seems that they are using the court to execute the minus one formula.”

Rizvi further said if this government’s ministers did not know the verdict already then how come Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan on Sunday (January 28) said Khaleda is going to be convicted surely. Attorney General and other ministers have also said similar things.

Rizvi also alleged that the government intentionally lodged thousands of cases against BNP leaders, activists to keep them away from election. 

Earlier on Thursday (Jan 25), a Dhaka court fixed February 8 to deliver its verdict in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case against Khaleda Zia and five others for misappropriating over Tk 2.10 crore that came as grants for orphans from foreign banks.

BDST: 1637 HRS, JAN 29, 2018
AP