Shahidul Islam, former BNP lawmaker from Kushtia-2 (Mirpur-Bheramara) constituency who has been absent in his area for last two years, urged party men to be united under his leadership for their 'greater interest' and retaining the parliamentary seat in the coming election.
Shahidul, one of the 20 corrupt suspect politicians listed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in 2007, came on with his speech from an unknown place through mobile phone during a party meeting held at BNP Mirpur upazila office on Monday evening.
“The party will nominate me in the seat and I will come back in the area soon,” said Shahidul, who left Kushtia after the declaration of emergency in January last year.
Shahidul's younger brother Touhidul Islam Alam, also general secretary of Mirpur upazila BNP, arranged the meeting and made contact with Shahidul on mobile phone, sources said.
Shahidul claimed that allegations and cases filed against him are false.
Shahidul, president of Kushtia district BNP, was elected lawmaker from Kushtia-2 in 1996 and 2001.
Nine cases were filed against Shahidul for his alleged involvement in murder, extortion, attacking opposition rallies and torturing journalists. Most of the cases were filed after expiry of tenure of the BNP-Jamaat government.
In three cases, police found no involvement of Shahidul, while a High Court division bench on Thursday granted Shahidul bail in six other cases.