Court orders Irad's arrest..................

A Dhaka court ordered the arrest of Chowdhury Irad Ahmed Siddiky after a senior BNP leader filed a defamation case against the 38 year-old on Sunday.

ASM Hannan Shah told us Sunday he had filed the case as Irad had brought false allegations against Khaleda Zia. The son of BNP standing committee member Chowdhury Tanbir Ahmed Siddiky also made offensive comments against Hannan that tarnished his image as well as the party's, he alleged.

Hannan, the BNP chairperson's adviser, filed the case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court.

His lawyer advocate Hossain Ali said the case had been filed under sections 500 and 501 of penal code.

Allegation and insults

Irad, in presence of father Tanbir, alleged at a press briefing last Monday that Khaleda asked for Tk 5 crore in return for a party ticket in the Dhaka mayoral election.

Irad called incumbent mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka, and former mayors BNP's Mirza Abbas and AL's Mohammad Hanif "all corrupt", who "failed to deliver".

He called Hannan Shah the "'bastard' child of democracy".

He said none among Khoka, Abbas, Hannan and former FBCCI chief Abdul Awal Mintoo—the likely BNP candidates—was acceptable.

Tanbir, however, was not very quick to counter his son's allegations.

"What my son said was false," Tanbir told reporters the following day when the newspapers carried the story with screaming headlines.

He said Khaleda never sought money in return for the Dhaka mayoral ticket, as Irad claimed.

Tanbir dismissed his son's remarks as "false and unwanted", and said he was hurt by harsh comments on retired brigadier Hannan, "a personal friend of mine since boyhood".

The son's comments have nevertheless angered party adherents and the standing committee on Tuesday asked Tanbir to explain in 72 hours why he should not be punished over Irad's allegations.

Irad on Saturday sought to distance himself from his father and the BNP, saying he just voiced his own views and that he had no links to his father politically.