The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

DIG Prisons Maj Shamsul Haider Siddique yesterday contradicted Khandaker Delwar Hossain's claim that Khaleda Zia has rejected Saifur Rahman and Hafizuddin Ahmed as the party's acting chairperson and secretary general.

He said, in jail there is no scope to talk politics.

Maj Siddique told The New Nation yesterday, "Whatever Khandaker Delwar Hossain said quoting Sharmila Rahman, Khaleda Zia's daughter-in-law and wife of detained Arafat Rahman Koko, about politics are not true."

"During the meeting between detained Begum Khaleda Zia and Sharmila Rahman at the sub-jail set up at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, I was nearby and there is no scope of talking about politics inside the jail," the DIG Prisons said and requested people not to be misled.

He added, "During the meeting between Khaleda Zia and Sharmili Rahman, one of our representatives was noting down their conversation. Moreover, Sharmila Rahman told me that they had talked about family and personal matters.

Maj Siddique also contradicted the statements of the leaders of both the BNP and Awami League, which they had said quoting the two former Prime Ministers.

"There is no scope of discussing politics and guiding the political parties from behind the bar. If detained leaders can conduct political activities, then what is the difference between a jail and the outside?" he said.

BNP Secretary General Khandaker Delwar Hossain at a briefing at his home on Friday said that Khaleda had conveyed the message through her daughter-in-law Sharmila Rahman on Wednesday that Khaleda had rejected Saifur Rahman and Hafizuddin Ahmed as the party's acting Chairperson and Secretary General as well as the proceedings of the October 29 meeting of the standing committee, held without her consent.