Dhaka: Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Monday said there is no other way except the legal process to get BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia released from jail.

“Begum Zia will be freed if she comes out of jail through the legal process. Now, BNP is saying it’ll free Khaleda through a movement. Let’s see,” he said while speaking at a press conference at Setu Bhaban in the city.

Quader, also Road Transport and Bridges Minister, came up with the remarks against the backdrop of BNP’s claim that it will not be possible to hold an inclusive election keeping Khaleda in jail.

He said the country’s people have little headache over Khaleda’s imprisonment. “Only three months are left before the general election. People are now in an election mood. I don’t think anyone has any headache about freeing Khaleda,” he said.

The ruling party leader also said BNP has no enough public support to launch a movement. “They’ve already failed in their movement to torch people. People have rejected such type of movement.”

Earlier in the day, BNP senior leaders said their party will not join the next general election keeping their chairperson Khaleda Zia in jail.

Speaking at a token hunger strike programme, they also urged the political parties and the people of all walks of life to get united to ‘restore’ democracy and force the government to hold the next polls under a non-party administration.

As part of its countrywide programmes, the party observed a seven-hour token hunger strike at Mohanagar Natya Mancha in the city protesting the Supreme Court order upholding its stay on bail granted by the High Court to Khaleda Zia in a murder case filed in Cumilla.