Hold open trial to prove JMB chief 's arrest not drama

"The government staged the drama on the eve of US President George Bush's visit to India and Pakistan to mislead the international community about the rise of militants in Bangladesh under the shelter of the government," he said at a press briefing at the AL central office in the city.

"We believe that it is the duty of the government to make it clear to the nation that the arrest of Abdur Rahman was not a staged drama," Jalil added.

Referring to Saturday's press briefing of BNP Secretary General Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Jalil said, " Whatever he had said, it is crystal clear that the arrest was a staged drama by the government to distract peoples' attention from the oppositions' reform proposal on electoral process, power outage, fertiliser crisis and price hike of essentials."

Jalil, also coordinator of the 14-party opposition line-up, put forward a total of 10 questions to Mannan Bhuiyan to explain government's position on the arrest of Abdur Rahman. These included:

How could Rahman travelled different cities including the capital in last eight months along with his family without taking any camouflage when law enforcers were hunting him?

Why he was not allowed to talk to the media after surrendering to law enforcement agencies?

Why did Rahman choose Sylhet for his safe heaven and what was the role of Sylhet intelligence?

Why Rab and Police are giving different statement over the recovery of his cell phone?

Why the government is hiding the books of Golam Azam and Moududi that were found at the den of Rahman and by whose directions the name of the books were withdrawn from the seizure list?

Will the government arrest the patrons of Rahman and Bangla Bhai who tried to hide the militants saying it was a creation of media?

The press briefing was attended by AL leaders Abdur Razzak, Motia Chowdhury, Obaidul Quader, Akhtaruzzaman and Haji Mohammed Selim.