[Bangla Daily Star] Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia yesterday urged the government to immediately take effective steps to investigate each incident of 'repression on politicians, businessmen and citizens' during the emergency period and hold trials of the people responsible.In a statement issued on the occasion of International Day Against Torture to be observed tomorrow, the BNP chairperson also appealed to the United Nations to take necessary steps for encouraging the government to take such initiatives.
Khaleda recalled the "torture on her and her two sons and her party leaders and workers during the then Army Chief Gen Moeen U Ahmed-supported unconstitutional government of January 11, 2007."
"During the emergency period," she said, "The unconstitutional government had confined me in my house for nearly one year and kept me in solitary imprisonment for another year without trial."
Khaleda said the unconstitutional government arrested her two sons and perpetrated inhuman physical and mental tortures on them taking them to unknown places in the name of interrogation.
"But in the last two years they could not prove in court any allegation brought against me," Khaleda said in her statement.
The BNP chairperson further said other political party leaders, businessmen and citizens were also subjected to torture in the name of interrogation, but proper investigation and the trial of those were not held during the emergency period.
She lamented that no step has been taken yet in this regard although an elected government is in power.
She also criticised the present government for repressing the opposition.
On the eve of the International Day Against Torture, Khaleda condemned all those incidents of repression and expressed her heartfelt sympathy to all the oppressed people of the world, including Bangladesh.