The BNP leader was addressing a press conference yesterday at Khulna Press Club to express his reaction against a report on his alleged corruption, published in by Dainik Manabjamin on February 26.

Sounding a note of warming to media men, the BNP leader said Khulna city BNP has chalked out a three-day programme to protest what he termed 'false and fabricated reports' against him published in the daily.

The programme includes submission of memorandum to the Police Commissioner and the Deputy Commissioner of Khulna, view-exchange meetings with local journalists, a meeting with Editor of Dainik Manabjamin.

Manju said journalists are now involved in a 'dirty practice of character assassination of political leaders'. He advised journalists to 'give up this practice'.

He did not reply to a question asked by a journalist about his authority to take a three-day programme during the state of emergency in the country.

Refuting all allegations against him published in the Dhaka daily, the BNP leader said that he had no connection with any underground party during his political career and was never involved in toll collection and smuggling.

BNP leader and former lawmaker M Nurul Islam, general secretary of Khulna district BNP Shafiqul Alam Mona and Dulatpur Sadar thana president of the party were present at the press conference.

Former lawmaker M Nurul Islam said reports being published in newspapers have created panic among members of families of BNP leaders.

"You have no right to create such panic by reports which are absolutely false", he said.

M Nurul Islam admitted that he sold his luxurious tax-free car imported three years ago. "I was permitted to sell it", he said refusing to disclose who gave him permission.