BNP seeks to know whether Khaleda arrested or confined

The BNP has demanded of the government to clarify whether its Chairperson Khaleda Zia had been arrested or confined to her house, accusing the government of “unjustly confining’ its leader.

A BNP delegation led by Opposition Chief Whip Zainul Abdin Farroque placed the demand before President Md Abdul Hamid on Friday.

The delegation met the President at Bangabhaban in a bid to seek his intervention to find a solution to the issue of confinement.

Emerging from Bangabhaban Farroque said, the government had ‘unfairly confined’ Khaleda Zia.

“The government has not clarified whether she is arrested or confined,” he said.

He alleged Khaleda Zia had been barred from leaving her house to go to the party office and the leaders too were prevented from meeting her.

“The President said the constitution has provided fundamental rights to everyone. He said he would try to resolve the issue,” the Opposition Chief Whip said.

On Thursday, the BNP MPs met Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury and sought her intervention, claiming that the Opposition Leader had been put under house arrest.

They also submitted a memorandum to her.

Farroque declined to comment whether they discussed election related matters and the BNP’s ongoing agitation with the President.

He said their movement would continue.

The alliance would issue a statement about the movement, he said. “We will not speak about that.”

The Opposition Chief Whip said he would try to meet the party chief to apprise her about the meeting with the President.