Govt sees Tarique as competitor in Khaleda's absence

BNP Standing Committee Member Nazrul Islam Khan yesterday alleged that the government was conspiring and issuing false statements against Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman as it believes he would be its main competitor in the absence of Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

"The government treated Khaleda Zia as its competitor. In Khaleda Zia's absence, Tarique Rahman will be the main competitor," he told a discussion BNP's youth platform Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal organised in the capital's Jatiya Press Club.

The discussion was in protest of an arrest warrant issued for Tarique on Sunday in a sedition case filed for calling Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman "Pakbandhu" (friend of Pakistan).

Nazrul claimed that the government in the last nine months failed to prove Tarique had any link with corruption as he indeed had none.