Power cut ‘despicable cruelty’: Khaleda

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has termed the disconnecting of power supply to her Gulshan office ‘despicable cruelty’ and violation of human and citizen's rights.

The BNP chief made the remarks on Saturday afternoon while speaking to her party functionaries, who are also staying in the Gulshan building along with her, her Press Secretary Maruf Kamal Khan said.

Amid tension over programmes on Jan 5, the first anniversary of the last general election boycotted by BNP, Khaleda was barred from leaving her office on Jan 3.

She has been staying there since then, though the barricades were withdrawn two weeks ago.

From there on January 5 she called a countrywide indefinite blockade.
The power line to the building at street-86 in Gulshan-2 was cut off early on Saturday.

The cable TV line and internet connection were also cut off, the party’s press wing member Shamsuddin Didar claimed.

Khaleda said, “I don’t have words to react to this. I am shocked.”

“To cut off power supply and other utilities is an unprecedented action bereft of any etiquette,” she said.

“No civilised government can do this. It is unimaginable in the civilised world,” she added.

The former prime minister also said stopping citizen’s services without giving any notice was total violation of human and citizen’s rights.

BNP Vice Chairman Selima Rahman, Chairperson’s Advisor Abdul Kayum, Khaleda’s Press Secretary Maruf Kamal Khan, Special Assistants Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas and Mahbub Alam Dew, Security Coordinator Abdul Majid and Mahila Dal General Secretary Shirin Sultana are staying in the building that is using power generated by a private generator.

Zahia Rahman and Zaisa Rahman, daughters of Khaleda’s late son Arafat Rahman Coco, are also staying with their grandmother.

Coco’s wife Sharmila Rahman and Khaleda’s sisters-in-law were also accompanying her in turns.

Maruf Kamal Khan said the BNP chief had passed a sleepless night with her granddaughters after the power cut.

The fax machine could not be used due to the cut, he said.

People inside the building could not contact those outside as the mobile phones could not be charged, he added.

After Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan’s warning on Friday to cut off all utility services to the building, ruling Awami League Publicity Secretary Hasan Mahmud reiterated on Saturday that all supply lines would be cut off if the blockade was not called off ahead of the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) examinations scheduled to start on Monday.

Along with the blockade, BNP called a 72-hour general strike from Sunday, increasing worries of the examinees and their parents.