Khaleda Zia, besieged at her Gulshan office, is bent on coming out on the street on Monday, a journalist leader who met the BNP chief says. The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) have banned gatherings and processions in the capital on Monday when the BNP and the ruling Awami League plan to hold programmes on the first anniversary of last general elections. After meeting Khaleda at her office on Sunday, Sammilita Peshajibi Parishad Convenor Ruhul Amin Gazi claimed the BNP chairperson had called on her supporters to join the protests. “Raise your voices against this illegal government, take to the streets,” he quoted Khaleda as saying. She has been confined to her office since Saturday night. While meeting the Peshajibi Parishad on Monday, Khaleda reportedly told them that she would not follow the “illegal government’s orders”. “I will get out tomorrow (Monday) and I will hit the streets,” Gazi quoted the BNP chief as telling them. Tension has been simmering over the past several days as the BNP and ruling Awami League announced counter programmes for Monday. Police picked up BNP’s Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi from the party’s headquarters around Saturday midnight before locking the office. BNP leaders claim these are government ploys to prevent the party from launching street protests.–bdnews24.com
