“The 20-party didn’t face any split. Only a few leaders left the alliance, but their parties are with the 20-party,” said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Speaking at a press conference at the party’s Nayapaltan central office, he further said, “They (those who left the alliance) were uncertain about the achievements of the BNP-led alliance. They left the alliance thinking about their personal gains.”

On Tuesday, presidents and general secretaries of National Awami Party (NAP) and National Democratic Party (NDP), two components of the 20-party, announced to sever ties with the alliance as they think BNP has deviated from its ‘moral’ position by forging the Jatiya Oikya Front with the actors of the 1/11 political changeover and ‘minus-two formula’.

Rizvi said NAP and NDP have already expelled those of their leaders left the alliance from their parties and as the two parties are with the alliance.

He also said those NDP and NAP leaders quit the alliance as they compromised with their moral values. “Some people compromise when it comes to material gains. It also happened during the Liberation War.”

The BNP leader said the 20-party will not get affected as some leaders of its two partners severed ties with the alliance.

He said those who are in favour of truth and justice will rather receive bullets, but will not deviate from their moral position.

Rizvi alleged that the date for delivering verdict in Zia Charitable Trust graft case against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and others was fixed without completing the legal process and arguments.

“The court did it at the behest of the government. It’s totally illegal. There’s no example of holding trial in absence of any sick person in anywhere in the world,” he observed. 

The BNP leader said the government has set another example of political vengeance by holding trial in absence of ailing Khaleda Zia in Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

On Tuesday, Judge Md Akhtaruzzaman of the Special Court-5 in Dhaka fixed October 29 for pronouncing verdict in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.