Trashing Israeli politician Mendi N Safadi’s claim that they had a meeting in Washington, Sajeeb Wazed Joy has said they met nowhere.
In a Facebook post, Joy wrote: “I have never met Safadi, either in Washington or anywhere else. He is lying. That he is willing to lie for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) also proves that he is involved in a conspiracy with the BNP. Otherwise why would he lie on their behalf?”
Joy, son of Sheikh Hasian and ICT adviser to the PM, came up with the Facebook statement yesterday, a day after the Israeli politician in an interview with BBC Bangla, claimed that he had visited Joy’s office in Washington last year.
However, the BBC Bangla report did not include Joy’s version in this regard.
On Saturday, Awami League joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif also dismissed Safadi’s claim, terming it a ‘drama staged by BNP’.
In his status, Joy further said: “The BNP is such a stupid party, that even when they lie they make stupid mistakes. I would like the BNP and Safadi to answer one question. Where in Washington did he meet me? At an event? In someone else’s office?
“The first stupid mistake they have made is that I have not been to any event or office in Washington in at least three-four years. The only meetings I have had are private ones with government officials. So where could he have met me?” he added.
Earlier on May 15, detectives arrested Aslam Chowdhury, a joint secretary general of BNP, soon after the politician drew controversy over holding a meeting with the Israeli politician in India early this month.
In another interview with BBC Bangla on May 17, Safadi also claimed that he met Aslam Chowdhury in India but had no ‘secret meeting’ with the BNP leader.
Criticising BBC Bangla for airing the interview, he said: “It is also shameful that BBC Bangla actually broadcast this obviously fake interview without verifying facts. This really harms its credibility as a news source.”
Hanif said the ruling party will issue a rejoinder, protesting the report of BBC Bangla.
Meanwhile, BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi yesterday said people do not trust Joy’s remark that he never met Israel’s Likud Party leader Safadi.
He also said their party is waiting to see what action the government takes against Joy over his meeting with Safadi.
He also alleged that the government is playing double standard over separate meetings between Safadi and Joy, and Safadi and Aslam.
Rizvi said, “Safadi himself claimed to have met with Joy. When an innocent BNP leader met a person he was charged with treason, but when the prime minister’s son met the same person he was labelled as patriot. This is the policy of this regime.”
Criticising Awami League leader Hanif for terming BNP drama the media report about a meeting between Safadi and Joy, Rizvi said people will trash his comment.
Rizvi alleged that the attorney general’s office is obstructing the release of Rajshahi City Corporation Mayor Mosaddek Hossain Bulbul from jail though he secured bail from the High Court in the cases filed against him.