People suffer due to Khaleda Zia's arrival at National Memorial

The public gathered at the National Memorial to pay respects to the Liberation War heroes on Tuesday had to suffer for hours before BNP chief Khaleda Zia's arrival.

The former Opposition Leader arrived after 9:30am, but BNP activists took position in front of the memorial from 7am and the size of flock of party and front organisation activists rose with time.

General people and other organisations, who came to pay homage, had to go through the thick crowd of BNP activists.

It took 45 minutes for Power Grid Company of Bangladesh official Abdul Hai and his colleagues to place a wreath at the memorial.

"Usually there's a crowd every year on this day. Everyone comes, pay their respects and go. But this time it's Chhatra Dal, Juba Dal activists crowding.

"It is fine you have come here to pay homage. Do that and leave. Why cause sufferings for people in this place just to show your face to the leaders?" an agitated Hai told bdnews24.com.

Bangladesh Council of Science and Industrial Research's Abdul Hakim echoed. "This time the crowd is too much. We had to go through a thick crowd to place the wreath."

The crowd of BNP activists caused the queue of people to move very slowly.

"I have been waiting for two hours, but the queue is not moving," said freedom fighter Abdul Karim, who lives in Savar.

The crowd of BNP activists cleared only after the party chief left the venue.