Trucks’ ‘diplomatic etiquette’

Five trucks were stranded at the two entry points of the road which lead to the resident of Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia.

Police said the vehicles were out of order and they could not move it. But two of them, kept at the eastern end of the road, cleared the way when US Ambassador Dan Mozena went to see Khaleda on Tuesday.

The ‘out-of-order’ trucks returned to their previous positions blocking the road immediately after the envoy left the place after holding a meeting with Khaleda for about one and a half hours.

The trucks had also moved away when British High Commissioner Robert Gibson reached there to meet the BNP chief on Monday afternoon.

Additional police personnel were deployed around Khaleda’s residence after she announced the Sunday’s march towards Dhaka to foil Jan 5 national election.

Two sand-laden trucks were parked on each side of the road from Saturday night. Another truck joined them the next morning.

When asked about the vehicles, Gulshan Police Station OC Rafiqul Islam told reporters on Sunday that they could not move the trucks as they were out of order.

He said on Monday: “The trucks are still out of order.”

But their movement at the sight of the diplomats became a source of banter among the reporters.

One reporter quipped: “The out-of-order trucks know diplomatic etiquette.”

Asked how the vehicles could become functional at certain times, the Gulshan OC said: “No comments.”

Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Benazir Ahmed also denied comment on the ‘out-of-service’ trucks’ movement.

However, a driver of a truck said his vehicle was requisitioned by police. “We’ll go when police release us,” he said.

Source: Bd news24