Poison mixed into Khaleda Zia’s food in jail: Rizvi

BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has alleged that poison was mixed into Begum Khaleda Zia’s food while she was serving her sentence in prison. He raised the allegation on Saturday, November 29, at a programme held at Mirer Khil School ground in Hathazari, Chattogram.

Rizvi said, “Sheikh Hasina regarded Begum Khaleda Zia as a thorn in her side. Therefore, in the past every effort was made to remove her from the world. Some people have openly said that poison was mixed into her food in prison.”

He further accused Sheikh Hasina of exercising power not for the country or its people but for the benefit of her family and son. Rizvi claimed, “She hoarded huge amounts of gold; her people looted banks and smuggled it abroad. Now she has fled the country and could not even take the hoarded gold with her.”

Rizvi said, “Since August 5, society has again been afflicted by the clatter of arms and killings; students are being killed.” He called for firm action to suppress social terrorism ahead of the upcoming election.

On the voting rights of citizens living abroad, Rizvi said that although nearly 10 million people live overseas, only about 75,000 are registered voters. He urged the Election Commission to create a system allowing passport-based voting.

The programme, organised to provide humanitarian assistance to those affected in the July movement in Chattogram, was held under the banner ‘We are the BNP family’. Seven families of martyrs and injured activists received support.