Dhaka: Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) on Thursday alleged that the warrant was issued for the arrest of its senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman in the Zia Orphanage Trust case as per the government’s will.

“The government is making the court issue arrest warrants in false cases one after another out of political vengeance to belittle the Zia family. All the state organs, including judiciary, executive and the law enforcers, are now being run at the government’s will,” said BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi.

He came up with the allegation at a press briefing at BNP’s Nayapaltan central office.

Earlier in the day, a special court here cancelled bail of BNP senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman in the Zia Orphanage Trust case and issued a warrant for his arrest.

The court also asked all the accused in the Zia Orphanage Trust case, including BNP chief Khaleda Zia, to appear before it on January 30 in their self-defence.

Tarique Rahman left for London on September 11, 2008 for treatment after obtaining bail from the higher court and since then his lawyer Sanaullah Mia has been representing him in his absence.

Rizvi strongly denounced the issuance of the arrest warrant and demanded its immediate withdrawal. “We think the filing of false cases and the issuance of arrest warrants one after another against our party senior vice chairman are the reflection of the government’s will.”

Two BNP associate bodies -- Jatiyatabadi Jubo Dal and Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal -- announced demonstration programmes protesting the issuance of the arrest warrant.

Rizvi also condemned the attacks on the activists of National Committee to Protect Oil-Gas, Mineral Resources and Port-Power by police in the city during their half-day hartal programme demanding cancellation of the Rampal power plant project.