Khaleda finally allowed entering venue

Senior Correspondent: After nearly one hour of her stay in front of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh, the authorities allowed BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia to enter the venue on Tuesday.

Her party's student wing Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal (JCD) was scheduled to hold a programme there at 2:00pm, to mark its 39th founding anniversary. Khaleda, a former prime minister, was supposed to join the programme as the chief guest.

The BNP chairperson, Khaleda Zia, joined the agitating JCD men at 4:25pm and stayed there sitting in her car until 5:20pm when the authorities opened the gate.

Earlier, JCD activists found the gate of the institute under lock and key at 10:00am with members of the police guarding the gate.

As they approached the institution authorities to know why the gate was kept under lock and key from the police guard, the law enforcers said the authorities have taken the steps 'for the safety and security of the president'.

The president, Md Abdul Hamid, joined a programme in the Supreme Court located next to the institution.

Later in the afternoon, several hundred activists of JCD took position in front of the main entrance of the institution and staged demonstration to press home their demand for opening the gate.

 

risingbd/Dhaka/January 2, 2018/Reza/A K Azad