Stating that their programme is on, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia has said she would try to join her party-led 20-party’s Monday’s scheduled rally in the city defying the police barricade.

In an interview with BBC Bangla on Sunday night, Khaleda said they are not withdrawing their rally in the city despite the government obstacle to and restriction on it. “Our programme is on,” she said.

Khaleda claimed that she has been under total confinement of law enforcement agencies at her Gulshan political office since Saturday night. “This illegal government has totally got isolated from people. They’ve besieged the country now. It’s not only me, the country is also besieged.”

The BNP chief said had the government been popular it would not have taken such steps.

She said that her party activists are on the streets to join their today’s scheduled programme.

“The government had also besieged me as I tried to join the party rally on December 29 (2013) before the general election. This time they’re trying to obstruct by deploying more police,” she told Moazzem Hossain of BBC Bangla over phone.

As her attention was drawn to the government’s position that it has imposed a ban on holding public gatherings in the city in fear of acts of sabotage, the former prime minister alleged that it is not BNP, but the government which is indulging in acts of sabotage.

Meanwhile, police laid barricades surrounding BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan political residence by placing 12 trucks early Monday.

The sand-carrying trucks were placed on two sides of the office since 12am while additional police forces were deployed in the area.

Police also barred anyone from entering her office since morning.

Vehicular movement in Gulshan area was barred by the law enforcement agencies, while pedestrians are facing frequent frisking by the police, said our UNB correspondent from the spot.

The BNP chairperson has been kept confined since Saturday night.

Tension rose before the first anniversary of the 10th parliamentary elections as BNP remained firm on its stance to hold its rally in the capital on Monday, defying all the restrictive measures by the administration.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) imposed a ban on all sorts of rally in the capital for an indefinite period since Sunday afternoon, while police forces have been deployed at important points, including around BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia’s Gulshan political office, leading to her virtual ‘confinement’.

In some areas of the capital, police personnel went on a rampant frisking of the city dwellers and the Dhaka-bound buses and trucks from other districts were also barred from entering the city.

Members of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have also been deployed in the city to help maintain the law and order.


UNB/TF