Govt has no influence in Fakhrul's bail denial: Home Minister

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan said on Thursday that the government has no influence in the denial of bail to BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam.

The judiciary is independent and judges take decisions after proper scrutiny, he said while talking to reporters after United Nations Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Gwyn Lewis paid a courtesy call on him at the secretariat.

Pointing at BNP, he said, "If you want to come to power, you have to come to the polls. It is not possible through arson violence. If you want a change in power, you have to come to elections."

Azaduzzaman said some leaders from the BNP are forming parties like Trinamool BNP and BNM to participate in the national election. " We told them that the elections will be free and fair with no party getting any undue advantage."

He said there is no external pressure on the new parties; they are willingly forming new alliances.

"When Gwen Lewis asked about the election, I told her that there is joy everywhere in Bangladesh over the election. Nevertheless, our law enforcement agencies will be vigilant so that no unstable situation is created anywhere," the minister said.

In response to a question, the home minister said before the BNP's rally on 28 October, 565 cases were filed daily on average and after October 28, the average daily cases decreased to 438, a reduction by 127 cases per day.

He also noted a decrease in daily arrests-from 1,956 before 28 October to 1,816 after that date.