KHALEDA’S SYLHET VISIT Obstruction, arrests mark Khaleda’s Sylhet visit

Police on Monday obstructed leaders and activists of Bangladesh Nationalist Party at different places and detained dozens of them allegedly to foil any gathering to welcome the party chairperson Khaleda Zia on her way to Sylhet from Dhaka.
A group of ruling Awami League men showed sandals and shoes in Narsingdi when Khaleda’s motorcade passed by the area.
Khaleda’s motorcade started for Sylhet from her residence at Gulshan in Dhaka around 9:15am. 
BNP alleged that during her trip police swooped on the party leaders and activists as they gathered to welcome Khaleda at a number of places on Dhaka-Sylhet highway and detained at least 72 BNP leaders and activists in Narayanganj, Narsingdi, Brahmanbaria, Habiganj and Sylhet.
New Age correspondent in Brahmanbaria reported that police arrested 13 BNP men from separate places of the district early Sunday.
Our correspondent in Narsingdi reported that at least 14 leaders and activists of BNP, including the party law affairs secretary and Khaleda’s lawyer Sanaullah Mia, were detained on Monday morning when Khaleda’s motorcade passed through the district. Three of them including Sanaullah were released in the afternoon.
In Narayanganj, six BNP leaders and activists, including the party international affairs secretary Nazrul Islam Azad, were detained from different places on Dhaka-Sylhet highway in the district while they were welcoming Khaleda on her way to Sylhet, reported United News of Bangladesh.
In Dhaka, police arrested six BNP activists early Monday, police said.
Reports received from the districts said 11 BNP leaders and activists were arrested in Barisal, two in Jessore, three in Bogra, 11 in Lakshmipur, four in Kishoreganj, 17 in Chandpur and 12 in Satkhira.
Witnesses said a group of people at Bhelanagar in Narsingdi in presence of many police chanted slogans in favour of Awami League and its election symbol ‘boat’. They showed
sandals and shoes as Khaleda’s motorcade passed by the areas around 11:15am.
Police chased BNP leaders and activists as they gathered in the area to greet Khaleda, witnesses alleged.
BNP chairperson’s special assistant Shamsur Rahman Shimul Biswas who was in the motorcade told New Age that police did not allow BNP leaders and activists to stand on streets to welcome Khaleda.
Despite police obstruction, the party activists peacefully took position on streets to greet the BNP chief, he claimed.
Shimul said a police vehicle at reckless speed hit a vehicle of the motorcade at Shibpur in Narsingdi.
BNP press wing member Shamsuddin Dider, who was also in the motorcade, said police shot tear gas shell at Nabiganj of Habiganj.
Local BNP leaders alleged that a stage of BNP set on Shayestaganj Notun Bazar road crossing was removed in presence of police.
Still, a large number of leaders and activists of BNP and its front and associate organisations chanted slogans as she reached Sylhet city around 4:00pm.
The BNP chairperson visited Sylhet to offer fateha at the important shrines, three days before a court verdict in a graft case filed against her.
More leaders and activists queued on either sides of the street as Khaleda’s motorcade moved from Sylhet circuit house to the shrine of Hazrat Shahjalal around 5:25pm, where she offered fateha at the shrine around 6:00pm. 
Later, a prayer session was held on the shrine premises for the late president Ziaur Rahman, his late son Arafat Rahman, Khaleda Zia, her elder son Tarique Rahman, BNP, the country and that the upcoming court verdict went in her favour.
She also went to the shrine of Hazrat Shah Paran and offered fateha around 7:30pm.
A special court in Dhaka is set to announce verdict in Zia Orphanage Trust graft case against Khaleda, her son Tarique Rahman and four others on February 8.
BNP senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi told New Age that it was Khaleda Zia’s private programme and a religious one.
So, he said, the party did not organise it politically.
Earlier, before starting from Dhaka, BNP standing committee member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, who also accompanied Khaleda’s religious trip, told reporters that Khaleda was not going to Sylhet for election campaign.
There was no scope for conducting election campaign a year ahead of the general election as a level playing field for all political parties was not created, Khosru said.
It is the responsibility of the government to ensure security of Khaleda Zia in her trip as a former prime minister, the standing committee member said.
Khaleda had visited Sylhet last on October 4, 2013. 
Earlier, prime minister Sheikh Hasina visited shrine of Shahjalal on January 30 and started her election campaign by seeking vote for boat, election symbol of ruling Awami League, while addressing a public rally in the city.
Later, Jatiya Party chairman HM Ershad also visited the same shrine and offered fateha on February 1. He also started his election campaign for his party from Sylhet.
In Sylhet, early Monday, 37 leaders and activists of BNP were arrested from the city as well as different upazilas.
Sylhet police additional deputy superintendent Shamsul Alam Sarder said many of them were wanted in cases and others were detained for their suspected bid to unleash subversive attempts during Khaleda’s Sylhet visit. 
Two BNP activists were arrested in Habiganj Sadar early Monday, said the Sadar police station officer-in-charge Yeasinul Huq. 
Ahead of the verdict, police have been conducting raids in the houses of BNP leaders and activists across the country and arrested at least 136 opposition party leaders and activists on Sunday night and Monday, alleged BNP. 
Over 600 were arrested in past six days since an attack on a police prison van in Dhaka on January 30 when Khaleda Zia was on the way to her Gulshan residence from the court.
Khaleda’s motorcade started from Sylhet towards Dhaka around 9:50pm. 

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net