DHAKA, – Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud has said the purpose of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)’s application seeking to take Begum Khaleda Zia abroad for treatment is not rational as she (Begum Zia) is recovering here.

“There is a political motive behind the BNP’s application. Now, question has arisen that whether the BNP leaders who are appealing to take Khaleda Zia abroad have any malicious intention behind it!,” he said.

The minister told reporters while replying to a query over making BNP chief Begum Khaleda Zia minus from the politics at his official residence in city’s Mintu Road.

Hasan, also Awami League joint general secretary, said there is different intra-party conflict in BNP.

“There are men of chairman and men of acting chairman in BNP including the followers of different streams and the demonstration of those we saw on the media time to time. Their meeting and rallies have often been spoiled due to the intra-party-conflict,” he added.

He also said it is seen that different leaders are giving statements in different ways. “So question arose that whether there is malice among the leaders who want to send the BNP chief abroad,” he continued.

Earlier, the minister addressed a function on food distribution through online among the affected people due to COVID 19 organised by Bangladesh Swadhinata Parishad (BSP) on the premises of RKK Degree College at Saidabad in the capital yesterday.

AL leaders Advocate Boloram Poddar and MA Karim, Freedom Fighter Abdul Gani and BSP president Zinnat Ali Jhan Zinnah, among others, spoke on the occasion with BSP advisor Barrister Sohorab Khan Chowdhury in the chair.

Later, the guests handed over food items to about 500 families of the area.