Sohel Parvez
bdnews24.com Correspondent
Dhaka, July 20 (bdnews24.com)—At the 44th over, as Bangladesh were celebrating their fifth wicket against Sri Lanka Friday, police on guard at Sudha Sadan cheered and clapped around the television in the guardhouse—while the guard in-charge was found sleeping!
This is not a scene that would have taken place among police at the former prime minister's Dhanmondi home before July 16 when Awami League president Sheikh Hasina was arrested and detained.
The police presence had been thick at Sudha Sadan. Both guards and regular forces had constantly been busy querying and checking a number of visitors daily.
"It was a different picture one year ago. We had to remain cautious because many people especially activists of Awami League frequently visited her. Now visitors to Sudha Sadan have come down," said Shahdat, an assistant sub-inspector of police.
Barricades and tents surrounding the house remain as they were before but intelligence officers have been withdrawn since the arrest of Hasina.
"Whom will people come to visit? She is no longer here which is why nobody comes here," said Selim, who has been selling tea close to Sudha Sadan since the year 1988.
"I feel bad," he said, although he refused to comment on whether the government had been right to arrest her.
Hasina, one of the most popular leaders, is currently being held alone in a sub-jail close to the parliament building, where she had led both ruling and opposition benches since 1991.
It is the fifth day of her detention since security forces arrested her from Sudha Sadan on July 16 on charges of extortion.
Hasina's husband Dr M Wazed Ali Miah, who had long been suffering from cardiac and rheumatic ailments, was admitted to hospital on the day his wife was arrested.
Bakshi, a security guard at a house neighbouring Sudha Sadan, was also shocked at the arrest.
"Why should I not feel bad? How come they (the government) arrest a former prime minister in such a manner?" he said, replying to a query.
"Thanks to her, we were doing good business when she was here! Now my sales have dropped to about Tk 500 from about Tk 1,500," said Helaluddin, another tea vendor in the area.
From a police tent near Sudha Sadan, no activists or leaders were seen entering the house. But the regular movement of neighbours was observed.
"Her relatives and personal employees come here now. Senior leaders and activists go to acting president Zillur Rahman," said a guard at Sudha Sadan.
Roads 5 and 6 by the lake in Dhanmondi have become calm and quiet over the past week, a relief for police but not so good for local people and vendors.
"Nothing is going on here now. What are so many policemen doing here?" said Suman Sarker, a caretaker at a nearby building, taking tea by the road.
However it was unclear how her fellow neighbours perceive the arrest. When questioned, Sohel—a second year BBA student who has been living with his parents close to Sudha Sadan for 15 years— refused to comment on the arrest.
"I am not interested in politics. I am studying now and I will look for jobs later. That's it!" he said.
When asked if they faced any hassles while Hasina was at home in Sudha Sadan, he said: "We had to face queries from security officials. But I didn't mind with that."
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