In the wake of the opposition’s announcement to hold its Sunday’s programme at Nayapaltan at any cost with the presence of the opposition leader, additional police were deployed around Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan residence on Saturday night.
Police have created barricades on two sides of the road in front of the opposition leader’s residence.
Some policewomen also took position in front of the house.
BNP leaders alleged the opposition leader’s police protocol has been withdrawn, a claim turned down by Assistant Commissioner (Gulshan Zone) Nurul Alam.
Khaleda, also the BNP chairperson, is there in the house and did not go to her Gulshan office like any other day. Her party leaders alleged that she was barred from going to her office.
The law enforcers also dumped two trucks of sand in front of the main gate of the residence, apparently to create an obstacle to movement of the opposition leader’s vehicle.
Asked about the increased police vigil at Khaleda’s residence, Nurul Alam told reporters that the security measures have been beefed up for ensuring the opposition leader’s safety.
As the news of her confinement spread, a delegation of Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists (BFUJ) went to the residence and met Khaleda around 10pm.
The journalists’ delegation, led by BFUJ president Ruhul Amin Gazi, entered the house crossing the police barricade.
Earlier, BNP vice-chairman Hafizuddin Ahmed at a press conference at the Jatiya Press Club said, “We’ll hold our March for Democracy programme on Sunday morning by any means. The activities of the peaceful programme will begin by 10/11 am… opposition leader Khaleda Zia will arrive at the venue at any time.”
Hafiz said that they will hold the ally in front of BNP’s Nayapaltan central office despite the denial of permission by the DMP to hold the programme.
The former minister urged the government to permit them to hold their rally and said their programme will be peaceful one.
Meanwhile, BNP acting secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in a statement alleged that its chairperson Khaleda Zia has been confined to her Gulshan residence after withdrawing her police protocol.
The BNP spokesman demanded the government ensure the overall security of the opposition leader and her smooth movement.
Fakhrul claimed that the opposition leader was barred from going to her Gulshan office.
He alleged that the law enforcers created barricades by putting their vehicles indiscriminately on both sides of the road in front of Khaleda’s residence. “I condemn and protest the government’s this fascist attitude.”
Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh (BDB) President AQM Badruddoza Chowdhury at a press briefing at his Baridhara residence also condemned the confinement of the opposition leader and withdrawal of her police protocol.
Meanwhile, huge law enforcers have also been deployed around BNP”s Nayapaltan central office, where the opposition’s Sunday’s rally is scheduled to be held amid denial of police permission.
The Nayapaltan area has already been made off-limit to traffic by putting barricades at different points well ahead of the public showdown.
Source: UNBConnect