"During the tenure of this government, they’ll never allow such a case as courts are in their grip. They (govt) have turned the courts into slaughterhouses to suppress and punish opposition leaders and activists,” said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

Speaking at a human-chain programme, he said, "This government is not mere a dictator since it has reached the level of Nazism. A dictator can be ousted through a movement, but it warranted the Second World War took place to remove Nazism and fascism.”

Jatiyatabadi Samajik Sangskritik Sangstha (Jasas) arranged the programme in front of the Jatiya Press Club, protesting the airing of a drama titled ‘Indemnity’ by a TV channel and thus spreading ‘false’ campaign against Ziaur Rahman and his family.

On Tuesday, Dhaka second senior assistant judge Mohammad Asikuzzaman dismissed a case filed by poet and journalist Abu Saleh against Tarana, actor Saju Khadem, playwright Mannan Hira, RTV chairman Morshedul Alam, MP, and the information secretary for allegedly distorting history and portraying BNP founder Ziaur Rahman negatively in the drama, Indemnity.

Rizvi described Abu Saleh as a ‘cultural hero’ for taking an initiative for filing the case.

He said the current government has been staying in power depending on the ‘cadres’ of Jubo League and Chhatra League getting isolated from people.

Speaking at the programme, party joint secretary general Syed Moazzem Hossain Alal said common people are going through a tough time due to the price hike of essentials, including onion, rice, oil and salt. “The government has now launched a false campaign against Ziaur Rahman to divert people’s attention to a different direction from its failures on all fronts.”

He said Zia will live in the hearts of people for ages as they know his contributions to the country and the Liberation War.

Also read: Violence against women, corruption turn epidemic like corona: BNP